Meet the Sports Star of the Year finalists for 2025!

JUST as it has done for almost six decades, Bendigo Sports Star of the Year awards will celebrate outstanding feats across ’24 at Friday night’s gala presentation.

There are 11 finalists in the running for the gold statue.

A big night will include presentations to the latest scholarship intake, and award categories of Healthiest School, Community, Young Indigenous Athlete, John Forbes Coach/Manager, Faith Leech Inspiration.

A gun on the footy field and basketball court, Tony ‘Bluey’ Southcombe will be inducted to the Basil Ashman Hall of Fame and there’s the naming of the Cyril Michelsen and Maxine Crouch Trust Fund recipients.

The finalista are…

January – Blake Agnoletto, cycling

Gold in the under-23 criterium at the Australian Road Cycling Championships in Ballarat capped a brilliant start to the year. In March, Blake teamed with Oliver Bleddyn to win the Bendigo International Madison as they scored 95 points across the 200-lap duel in the 50th edition of the classic. Blake contested his first world track cycling titles in Denmark and was 14th in the elimination and madison. He ended the year racing in the endurance duels of the UCI Track Champions League across Europe. Now racing for Team Brennan, Blake won this month’s Melbourne to Warrnambool road classic (260km).

February – no winner

March – Alessia McCaig, cycling

Alessia struck gold in the keirin, sprint and time trial at the Australian championships at Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane. She warmed up for nationals by winning four medals at the Oceania titles in Cambridge, New Zealand. A high of Alessia’s year was racing at her first world track titles in Denmark. Bronze in the team sprint capped hours of training for a campaign which included the keirin, 500m time trial, and sprint. Alessia was 11th in the keirin at Ballerup Super Arena. McCaig family links to cycling stretch back many decades. Alessia’s goals for ’25 include the world track titles.

April – Emma Berg, athletics

The shot put ace won the national open title for a fourth time after a mark of 16.32m at Athletics Australia’s field and track championships in Adelaide. Emma’s feat was the best at nationals since Dani Samuels threw 16.55m in 2010-11. A great year for Emma included silver at the Oceania titles in Suva. A best of 16.46m at the Victorian championships clinched the open crown for a fifth time. South Bendigo Athletics Club’s star is a multiple winner of the Victoria Country open shot put title. When not in the shot put circle, Emma was studying and is now nursing.

May – no winner.

June – Courtney Sherwell, cycling

Courtney joined the list of national gravel racing champions from Bendigo when she charged to victory in the elite class of the Devil’s Caridgan classic in Derby, Tasmania. Courtney won the national cross-country marathon at Wagga Wagga in May. The lead-up to the UCI world gravel titles in Belgium in October included a series of races across the United States. Courtney was second in the Belgian Waffle Ride in California and Utah, and eighth in Arizona. Courtney was 28th in a field of 105 which raced 135km to decide the elite women’s title at the world gravel championships in Halle.

July – Andy Buchanan, athletics

The gun distance runner won the Oceania half-marathon on the Gold Coast. Andy ran 21.1km in a personal best of 62.25 minutes. A late call-up for the Paris Olympics, Andy ran the 42.2km marathon in 2:12.58 to be 45th. It was the second time Andy had represented Australia as he ran at the world cross-country championships in Bathurst. In ’24, Andy won the half-marathon at the Nike Melbourne Marathon, was 11th in the Hamburg Marathon, and in December ran the Valencia Marathon in an Australian record time of 2hours 6.22minutes. When not racing or training, Andy coaches several young distance running stars.

August – Jenna Strauch, swimming

Capped a second Olympic Games appearance by winning silver in the 4 x 100m medley relay in Paris. The breast-stroke ace teamed with Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon and Mollie Callaghan in 3:53.11. Jenna became the first Bendigo swimmer to claim an Olympic medal since Faith Leech won gold in the 4 x 100m freestyle relay at the 1956 Games in Melbourne. Jenna also swam the 100m and 200m breast-stroke in Paris. To qualify for Paris, Jenna won the 100m breast-stroke and was second in 200m breast-stroke at the Olympic trials which followed three gold at the nationals in April.

September – Col Pearse, swimming

Bamawm Extension’s swimming star struck silver in the 200m medley for SM10 class at the Paris Paralympics. Col powered to the wall in a time of 2:17.79 to add to the bronze he won for the 100m butterfly at the 2020 Tokyo Paralympics. Col’s campaign in France included the the 100m butterfly in which he was fourth in 57.24 seconds. It was an emotional build-up to the Games as Col’s grandfather passed away two weeks before the Paralympics. Col also featured in the Woolworths advertisements in the lead-up to the Paris Paralympics. For Col, a goal is a third Paralympics in Los Angeles.

October – Lilyth Jones, cycling

Marked her first UCI junior track world championships by winning silver in the 2000m individual pursuit. Lilyth lowered her personal best by four seconds as she was fastest qualifier in China. There were also year 12 studies at Firbank Grammar. A brilliant start to the year included Lilyth’s victory in the under-19 women’s madison at the national track titles in Brisbane where she won bronze in the under-19 individual pursuit. Lilyth won three gold and two silver medals at the Oceania track titles, and time trial at the Oceania road champs. Lilyth was in hot form at the recent Oceania track titles.

November – Lucas Herbert, golf

Overcame a four-shot deficit at the start of the final round to finish on 15-under and win the New South Wales at Murray Downs near Swan Hill. Lucas reeled in and then surged past Ripper team-mate Cam Smith to capture his first professional victory on home soil. A memorable year for Lucas included Team Ripper winning the LIV Golf Team Championship. A great run for Ripper included victory in Adelaide where Lucas scored 13-under across three rounds. Ripper also won the LIV event in Singapore in May. Lucas ended ’24 by being equal 5th on 12-under in the Australian Open.

November – James Hume, bodybuilding

Being crowned Mr Australia for classic physique at the PCA Australian Nationals capped a superb year for the natural bodybuilder. James won four overall and Pro Australian titles in the natural classic physique category in a big run of shows. A goal for 2025 is competition in England and France and to qualify for a second Natural Olympia quest in the USA. James is helping bodybuilding grow by playing a role in organising and possibly competing at the Silverback Pro Classic in Bendigo this April. James has devoted thousands of hours training and dieting to be in the shape he’s in.

December – Henry Allan, swimming

Breaking the Australian Age record by 0.5 of a second as he struck gold in the 16-years 100m backstroke at the Victorian Age championships capped a remarkable year. Henry won the 200m backstroke in a state Age record time, and 100m freestyle in All-Comers record time. The Bendigo East Swimming Club member won the 100m butterfly and was runner-up in the 50m freestyle. Henry broke the Victoria Age record for 50m backstroke in a gold medal-winning 4 x 50m medley relay final. There’s many hours of dedication to training by Henry and by coach John Jordan in East’s lanes and on the deck.