Local Sports Star awards night recognises Liverpool’s young sporting talent
Fresh from an international martial arts competition in Spain, Horningsea Park’s Tamara Cerne added the honour of a Junior Sports Star award to her growing list of accolades last night.
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Fresh from an international martial arts competition in Spain, Horningsea Park’s Tamara Cerne added the honour of a Junior Sports Star award to her growing list of accolades last night.
The 15-year-old martial arts champion was one of 19 young athletes across Sydney and the Central Coast recognised for their outstanding sporting achievements in the Junior Sports Star category.
Despite being knocked out in the third round of the World Karate Federation’s cadet, junior and under-21 Championships in Spain, Tamara is now ranked 25th internationally.
“It was honestly one of the amazing experiences of my life. I was ecstatic,” she said.
She has now set herself the task of qualifying for more international competitions next year in order to increase her ranking.
Her ultimate goal is to represent Australia on the world stage.
“Karate just got introduced into the Olympics so that’s my goal.”
NewsLocal’s overall individual winner was 17-year-old Ethiopian-born athletics star Bendere Oboya, who will represent Australia at next year’s Commonwealth Games after a stellar year on the track.
The ceremony was held at the Epping Club and featured a star-studded list of former winners including Matildas footballer Ellie Carpenter and Olympic kayak medallist Jessica Fox.
The Locals Sports Star awards, sponsored by Rebel, are now in their 13th year, attracting hundreds of nominations publicised in NewsLocal’s community newspapers across Sydney and the Central Coast.
In the Young Sporting Spirit category, nine-year-old Destiny Collier was the Liverpool Leader’s winner.
The karate champion, who has won more than 200 trophies and medals in karate tournaments, said she was “shocked” to receive the accolade.
“I didn’t expect it,” she said.
In three weeks’ time, she will compete at the national karate championships.
In other categories, Paralympics coach Matthew Rawlings won the Service to Sport award, while the Junior Sports Star Team was the South East Magic Women’s U/14 rugby sevens outfit.
NewsLocal would like to thank the sponsors of our program who make it possible to run this program: Rebel, Sports TG, Your Local Club, Rooty Hill RSL and Featherdale Wildlife Club.