WINNER Elite Sportsperson of the Year 2024
Natalie Van Coevorden, Macarthur Triathlon Club
Natalie Van Coevorden is originally a Glen Alpine gal and student from John Therry HS, and member of Macarthur Triathlon Club. It has been a huge year for Natalie with the talented triallate selected for her first Australian Olympic Team for Paris 2024.
Natalie finished 42nd in the Individual race, her progress hampered by being caught behind a crash that saw her lose touch with the main chase group during the bike leg however Natalie stayed on to race the following week as part of the Australian Triathlon Mixed Relay team with the team finishing twelfth.
Natalie started off the year with a 10th place finish in the Oceania Championships and 31st in the World Cup Triathlon (both in New Zealand), all this despite a niggling leg injury and raced in the World Triathlon Championship Series events in Yokohama (Japan), Cagliari (Italy), and Hamburg (Germany).
WINNER Elite Sports Team of the Year 2024
Women’s First Grade Team, Macarthur Rams Football Club
The Macarthur RAMS Women’s first grade team have achieved some truly amazing results this year. This incredible team of talent was crowed NPL Premiership Winners after finishing in first place at the end of the season and went on to win the 2024 NPL Grand Final at CommBank Stadium earlier in the year.
Winning both these trophies was last done all the way back in 2008 and gave the team a fairytale teat including a ‘three-peat’ of three consecutive Grand Final wins in three years.
In addition to team success, the group have experienced many individual successes amongst both players and personnel this season, with 10 players AND their coach unable to attend the awards night as they were away on A-League duties.
Team members: Coach: Stephen Peters, Assistant Coaches: Pete Nowakowski & Jon Maddox, Manager: Sandra Santaps, Playing Squad: Amalia Plummer, Bethany Gordon, Bronte Trew, Chelsea Barton, Chloe Gordon, Chrystal Duggan, Danielle Bishop, Danielle Bartels, Darcey Malone, Emily Wilson, Erin Gordon, India Breier, Kelli Brown, Kiara Rochaix, Lara Dipple, Libby Morris, Lola Sossai, Madison Mccomasky, Maya Lobo, Melissa Caceres, Miku Sunaga, Olivia Sloan, Tegan Bertolissio, Tenealle Hay and Teresa Morrissey.
WINNER Spirit of Sport 2024
Colin Rose, Tennis Macarthur
Colin is the Tennis Macarthur Vice President and has been active member of the Wests Sports Council for over 10 years. As a Tennis NSW Court Supervisor, Colin supervises Tournaments and is the regular cook at BBQs for Tennis Macarthur and other Tournaments, Interdistrict Finals, and the Ladies Competitions. Every day of a three-day Tournament and on Interdistrict Finals Day, Colin is up before sunrise operating dryers or sweeping courts in preparation for the day. He is dedicated to giving layers a great experience when they take the court. Colin is a wonderful example of generous volunteers in sport who continue to give of their time willingly and generously.
Runner Up: Spirit of Sport – Lynne Gardner, Macquarie Fields Swim Club
WINNER Match Official of the Year 2024
Matthew Galvin – Group 6 Rugby League Referees Association
Matthew joined Group 6 Rugby League Referees in March 2018 as a new referee to the game. In 2023 he became Junior Vice President, then the Director of Junior Referees where he appointed referees and touch judges to over 120 games per week.
Matthew who is also an NSW Rugby League Development Referee Coordinator for local school carnival has had a huge list of achievements including officiating the NSW Rugby League Junior Regional Rep games and NSW state competitions and won various awards including the Koori Knockout Men’s Centre Referee and Ray Bartley Referee’s Referee Award.
In 2023, Matthew became the youngest referee to debut in the Macarthur First Grade competition, at just 19 years of age. He was also the Grand Final Reserve Grade Referee and refereed The Malta Vs Chile International. 2024 saw Matthew involved in the NSW Rugby League Metro Rep Development, as well as referee the Harold Matthews & Harvey Normans Women’s games Peter Mulholland Cup Grand Final.
Runner Up: Spirit of Sport – Caitlin Wright, Camden & District Netball Association
WINNER Senior Sportsperson of the Year 2024
Robert Picken, Macarthur Triathlon Club
Robert has had an amazing season with a long list of first places in his age category of 70-74 years including 1st place, Nepean Triathlon, and Sprint Triathlon, 1st place at the Australian Standard Distance Triathlon Championship, 1st place at the NSW Long Distance Triathlon Championship and 1st place at the Duathlon Championship at the NSW Aquathon Championship.
Robert was also 1st place in 70–74-year-old category at Ironman Australia 2024 by an impressive 4 hours and 24 minutes. In his Ironman event, Robert smashed the course record for his Age-Group and got within a whisker of breaking the 12-hour mark record which is an amazing achievement for a young athlete let alone a septuagenarian!
Runner Up: Senior Sportsperson of the Year – Sally Fuesaina, Campbelltown Harlequin Rugby Club
WINNER Youth Sportsperson of the Year 2024
Isla Basa, Macarthur BMX
At just 15, Isla incredibly talented teenager set to follow in Saya Sakakibara’s footsteps in the code of BMX and is currently ranked number one in Australia in her discipline – a testament to her incredible talent, hard work, and perseverance. She has a long list of recent achievements including the winner of the 2024 NSW State Series Winner 15 Girls, the 2024 South West Sydney Academy of Sport Athlete of the Year and competed in the 2024 World Championships in Rock Hill USA and now boasts a World Ranking of 15.
Runner Up: Youth Sportsperson of the Year (12 – 16yrs)- Ana Scott Jokatama
WINNER Junior Sportsperson of the Year 2024
Kauri Twentyman, Eschol Park Little Athletics Club
A gentle giant amongst his fellow under 9 boys’ athletes, Kauri continues to go from strength to strength with his Shot Put and Discus and has a wonderful year as part of Eschol Park Little Athletics.
Kauri competed at the Zone Athletics Championships in December where he placed 1st in both Shot Put and Discus and went onto the Regional Championships in early February where he once again came first in both events.
In 2024 for the first time due to change in age restrictions Kauri was eligible to compete at the State Championships, where he won bronze in the Discus, breaking a 21-year-old Eschol Park club record by almost 5 metres. He also had an amazing result becoming the under 9 boys State Shot Put Champion, with a new Eschol Park Club record of 9.53 metres. Kauri is a great example of exuberance and talent at just 9 years old with a strong future in both Discus and Shot put ahead of him,
Runner Up: Junior Sportsperson of the Year (U12) – Harrison Caulfied, Magpies Cricket Club
WINNER Sports Team of the Year 2024
Camden Rugby League Football Club, First Grade Team
This year Camden Rams First Grade played in the 2024 Wests Group Macarthur Premiership Competition and had an outstanding season. The Competition consisted of 11 teams and 18 rounds starting on the 17th of March with the Camden Rams team setting the tone for a great season with a 42 to 8 win over Campbelltown Collegians.
With a good young Captain Coach, Brad Speechley, the wins kept coming. The team, with a mix of local juniors and selected players from outside the area, played what would become Camden Rams’ best season ever, proudly gaining the title of undefeated Minor Premiers and Premiers, along with the Club Championship.
The First-Grade results totalled 16 wins and 2 byes. 689 points For and only 120 points Against with a differential of 569 points. This has placed the team in the running for the coveted NSW Rugby League Regional Claytons Cup, the results of which will be confirmed in the next few weeks.
Camden played The Oaks in the Grand Final, that went into extra time, with Camden prevailing 38 to 26 to become 2024 First Grade Premiers.
Team members: Coach: Harrison Fox, Assistant Coach: Jake Donner, Manager: Terri Speechley, League Safes: Jarrod Lawrence & William Sowter, Playing Squad: Aiden Menzies, Eddie Aiono, Atini Gafa, Jack Miller, Josh Goulton, Jackson Willis, Brad Speechley, Bailey Dickinson, John Martin, Danny Fualalo, Brad Hopkins, Trent Peoples, Tom Chanter, Steele Brown, Ben Powers, Kisi Taulani, Logan Matapuku and Harry Delaney
Runner Up: Sports Club Team of the Year – Campbelltown City Kangaroos Rugby League Football Club,
u18 Girls
