Jarryd's avalanche of snowboarding feats picks up North Shore Times sports star award

SNOWBOARDER Jarryd Hughes has been named North Shore Times Junior Sports Star for 2012.

SNOWBOARDER Jarryd Hughes has been named North Shore Times Junior Sports Star for 2012.

The Greenwich resident, 16, held off strong competition from a variety of talented local athletes to take the accolade at the NewsLocal ceremony at Homebush last Wednesday evening.

"It was awesome just hanging out with all the other athletes, sitting at a table with all the other 'northies' and meeting everyone," Hughes said. "It was great hearing my name read out. With a golfer, a runner, and someone who does taekwondo, you don't know who's going to win."

The former Redlands student has already achieved the qualification standard for next year's Winter Olympics in Russia and looks likely to be selected as one of Australia's four entrants, despite a knee injury restricting his competition time.

He already has top-level experience against adult athletes, including a series of world cup events, and was the youngest competitor at the last two junior world championships.

Hughes said the chance to speak to other elite youth athletes and hear from Olympic silver medal kayaker, and former Junior Sport Star winner Jessica Fox at the ceremony proved invaluable.

"It was really cool talking to other people and finding out what they do for their sport and comparing it to what I do for mine," he said.

"It was good getting to hear Jess Fox's speech to inspire, feel her experience and take from that."

Jarryd's father Darren attended along with his mum, Jennifer. Darren said both parents were very proud.

"The difference with Jarryd is that he's basically got to that top level faster than anyone in the history of the sport and he's just attacked it from day one," Mr Hughes said.

Promising athlete Abbey Rockliff, 11 of Ku-ring-gai, took home the Young Achiever award.

The Ku-ring-gai Little Athletics track star now holds Australian Little A’s records for both 800m and 1500m and hopes to become an Olympic athlete.