TOP performers in golf, cricket, tennis, basketball and harness racing are on the list of December nominees for the Bendigo Advertiser-WIN Television Sports Star of the Year award, which is sponsored by bankmecu.
Tennis ace Eliza Long was in outstanding form in December.
Long achieved a straight-sets victory in the Australian under-16 girls’ singles final at Melbourne Park and later in the month contested the national under-18 championships.
Last year’s Cyril Michelsen Trust Fund recipient in the Sports Star awards, Lucas Herbert was joint runner-up at the four-day Aaron Baddeley International Junior Golf Championship in China.
Another golfing star, Axedale’s Kris Mueck was 21st at the PGA Tour of Australasia qualifying school.
The top 62 earned cards for this year’s play.
On the harness racing track, Will Trapper won the Group One Bill Collins Mile at Cranbourne.
The victory capped a remarkable fightback by the trotter from injury and by Sedgwick trainer John Noonan from serious illness.
On the dance floor, Tully Williams and Bethany Porter won the modern and new vogue classes at the Australian Dancesport championships.
Eaglehawk’s Sam Irwin Hill capped his debut college gridiron season in the US with a national championship victory.
Irwin Hill played a key role as punter and place-kicker for the City College of San Francisco.
White Hills cycling star Imogen Jelbart won the under-19 girls’ 2000m pursuit and 80-lap points score at the Victorian track cycling titles.
Jelbart’s success on the Darebin track followed gold medal wins in the 30-lap scratch, 2000m pursuit and 80-lap points score at the South Australian track championships.
Racing in his 1974 Holden LJ Torana, Corey Gooch won the Victorian Super Tin Top championship.
Bendigo’s Corvan Hughes was a member of the Deja Vu crew which won the 104th Rudder Cup yachting classic.
On the bowling green, Bendigo clubmates Ian Ross and Torie Babitsch teamed up to win the Bowls Victoria over-60 pairs championship.
Kangaroo Flat’s Luke Hoskin won the Bendigo Bowls Division under-18 singles title.
The Bendigo East-based Central Victorian Kenpo won 11 events at the state titles and finished the year by being ranked Victoria’s No.1 team based on four International Sports Karate Association ranking tournaments.
Kayla Shepherd hit 104 not out for Kangaroo Flat’s all-girls cricket team in the BDCA’s under-15B competition.
Dual winners of Sports Star, Hannah Every-Hall and Glenn O’Shea continued their superb run in sculling and cycling respectively.
Every-Hall won the lightweight singles scull final at the Rowing Australia national selection trials in Sydney.
A three-day campaign by O’Shea at Joe Ciavola Velodrome in Darebin included winning the national omnium championship, the Melbourne Cup on Wheels, and second placing in the Australian Madison.
Because they have won Sports Star of the Year twice, Every-Hall and O’Shea are ineligible for the 2011-12 award.
Email a friend