Local sport’s night of nights

PREPARATIONS are underway for this year’s Bendigo Sports Star of the Year Gala night.

The 57th annual black-tie event will be held at the All Seasons Hotel on 25 February, celebrating the achievements of local sportspeople over the past two years.

Vice-chairman of the Bendigo Sports Star committee Sam Daykin said it will be the “biggest gala night in history.”

“We’re awarding monthly recipients from 2020 and 2021, I think we have a total of 16 monthly recipients and around 12 scholarship recipients,” he said. “It’s going to be a big night, a great night and I’m very excited.”

A range of special awards will be given, including Bendigo Sports Star of the Year, the Fosterville the Gold Mine Healthiest School Award, the Faith Leech Achievement Award and the Cyril Michelsen and Maxine Crouch Trust Fund Awards.

The winners of the John Forbes Coach/Manager Award, the Bendigo Health Young Indigenous Award, the Bendigo Bank Community Minded Award will also be announced, as well as the new member of the Bendigo Sports Star Hall of Fame.

Athletes up for the Sports Star of the Year award include G-League basketballer Dyson Daniels, Olympic swimmer Jenna Strauch and AFL Brownlow medallist Ollie Wines.

The gala will also celebrate the achievements of Bendigo’s younger sports stars recognised in the scholarship program.

“I think the community is forward to it, we usually have a strong turnout of 300 to 350 people for the night,” Mr Daykin said. “The sporting community of Bendigo and the surrounding areas really love the night.”

Tickets are available at bit.ly/3FRpEyY and cost $95 per person or $900 for a table of 10.