Brendan Holden is Northern District Times’ Junior Sports Star, Elena Chipizubov Inspiration Award winner
The Northern District Times’ 2019 Junior Sports Star and Inspiration Award winner have been revealed at a gala dinner in Sydney
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Brendan Holden is making a big splash in his chosen sport and his success has netted him the Northern District Times’ Junior Sports Star with Elena Chipizubov winning the Inspiration Award.
The Local Sports Star awards, sponsored by Featherdale Wildlife Park and Bankstown Sports Club, were handed out at a gala dinner on Wednesday night.
The rising stars of NSW sport mingled with big names, including rugby league’s Jamie Soward, GWS AFLW star Erin McKinnon and netball gun Tayla Fraser at Bankstown Sports Club.
PHOTO GALLERY: LOCAL SPORTS STAR AWARDS
Holden was honoured after he claimed an incredible 17 gold medals in the pool early this year, with his haul including a clean sweep of every backstroke title in NSW and an undefeated run at the 2019 South Australian state age championships.
Holden hopes to one day take his insatiable appetite for gold to the Olympics.
“I’m still getting over the shock,” Brendan said of being named Junior Sports Star.
“It does make it all worth it but even without the awards and medals, it would still be worth it just hanging with my friends and winning those times.”
After more than two years in the Australian gymnastics system, Chipizubov is closer than ever to achieving her Olympic dream.
In February, Elena managed a fourth-place finish on beam at the World Cup gymnastics meet in Melbourne before helping Australia claim a bronze medal at the L’International Gymnix competition in Montreal, Canada.
Each of our Junior Sport publication winners and Inspiration Award winners received $300 and a medal.
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Joshua O’Connell (Inner West Courier) was crowned overall Junior Sports Star winner on the night after breaking the world 800m record for 11-year-old’s in April.
Swimmer John Dimech-O’Connell (Macarthur Chronicle) won the overall Inspiration Award and the under 14s Gosford City Rebels girls basketball team (Central Coast Express Advocate) the overall team award.
The overall Service to Sport winner was Chung Dang (Canterbury-Bankstown Express).