Tickets on sale for gala sports night

IT’S less than a month until Bendigo’s Sports Star of the Year will be crowned at the All Seasons Resort Hotel.

Gala night for the awards goes on Friday, 17 February.

World championship representatives, Commonwealth Games gold medallist, AFL premiership-winning captain, and NBA rookie are among the contenders for the 2022 award.

Sports Star of the Year began in 1965-66 and has grown to celebrate outstanding achievers in many sports.

Awards to be presented include the Faith Leech Achievement Award, John Forbes coach/manager award, Bendigo Bank community award, Agnico Eagle Fosterville Gold healthy school award, and Bendigo Health young Indigenous achiever.

The monthly scholarship recipients are also in the running for the Maxine Crouch Trust Fund, and Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund.

Athletes in the running for the 2022 Sports Star of the Year award include: Emma Berg and Harrison Boyd for athletics, ultraman Markus Brown, NBA basketballer Dyson Daniels, Kerryn Harrington who’s playing in the AFLW, wheelchair footballer Caleb Logan, golfer Andrew Martin, cricketer Todd Murphy, Col Pearse and Jenna Strauch for swimming, Geelong skipper Joel Selwood, and lawn bowler Aaron Wilson.

A gold medallist in the men’s singles at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, gun lawn bowler Aaron Wilson is a dual Sports Star of the Year winner.

After leading Geelong to the AFL premiership, Joel Selwood is in the running to strike gold again, just as he did 13 years ago as Sports Star.

Taken at pick eight in the NBA draft, Dyson Daniels was the June winner in Sports Star with the point guard already starting on court for the New Orleans Pelicans.

Gun swimmers Jenna Strauch and Col Pearse both competed at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

While a superb summer of spin bowling by Todd Murphy has earned a place in Australia’s squad for the upcoming test tour of India.

The Bendigo Sports Star of the Year Gala night begins with pre-dinner drinks from 6pm and then the awards presentation from 6.30pm.

Tickets for gala night are $110 and available online via bit.ly/3XvWa2W.

Major sponsors for the awards are McKern Steel Foundation, Bendigo Bank, Bendigo Health, and Agnico Eagle Fosterville.