Benny’s Beat
I HOPE everyone has a terrific Australia Day weekend and please remember all the good things about being an Aussie.
Next Friday night the Coast’s sporting talent gets together to celebrate their efforts for 2014.
It was a great year at home and abroad with 26 athletes up for the major gongs.
Locals scored success across the globe at world championships, Commonwealth Games and World Cups in 17 sporting disciplines.
Here’s a quick rundown – eight woman, 11 national champions, 21 international representatives and six world champions.
Noosa stars are well in the mix in the seniors with Cooroy’s national softball whiz Jocelyn McCallum, Belli-Park cyclist Shara Gillow, Noosa clubbie Jordan Mercer, swim fish Brittany Elmslie and Coolum surfer Julian Wilson all having a great year.
But they do have strong opposition in Commonwealth Games gold medallist pole vaulter and defending champion Alana Boyd, world record holder swimmer Melanie Wright and hockey queen of goals Jodie Kenny.
Montville archery world champion Ryan Tyack could point his way into contention, so too four-time gold medal Pan Pacific winner para-swimmer Blake Cochrane.
Oceania billiards hero Steve Donohoe won’t be behind the eight-ball and retiring Coolangatta Gold title holder Josh Minogue would love another crown on the way out.
Noosaites in the junior section are all in with a chance – softball talent Luke Thomas, Noosa Aquatics’ Remy Fairweather, Hastings Street flyer Jordan Csabi are among the stars of the future.
Again the opposition is terrific.
National golf champion Shae Wools-Cobb has a great future, motorbike champs Troy Guenther and Jett Lawrence are up there with the world’s best, kayak paddlers Jy Duffy and Nick Green have Olympic inspirations, surfer Reef Heazlewood continues the Coast tradition as our latest Aussie champ and soccer player Jesse Gibbs was so good at the national titles, he is now playing for the Brisbane Roar.
Caloundra’s Logan Bischoff overcame family tragedy to win the national triple jump title and stamp himself a star of the future, Nambour’s quiet achiever Daniel Campbell again stood out in the national colours playing against the Kiwi schoolboy volleyballers.
Montville cyclist Daniel Fitter has come a long way after winning the national road title in Noosa to go on and win two gold medals on the world stage.
Cooroy’s Sue Stanley is last year’s Volunteer of the Year, Noosa lifesaver Dave Glassock is a good chance after his service over the years in three different sports.
All of Noosa’s brilliant events, including the triathlon festival, May’s Sport Festival, Festival of Surfing, 7’s International Rugby and Annual Pro-Am are in the running for Event of the Year.
More than 400 will enjoy the success and celebrate the achievements of many, on and off the field at a function that has no peer in this state.
The Sports Federation has organised and hosted the event since 1968 and will join forces in three years’ time with the state’s head sporting body Q-Sport in 50 years of service.
That I am looking forward to.
Until next time.
