Local Sports Stars junior winner Joshua O’Connell on a fast-track to success on athletics track
A young gun runner has been crowned the overall Junior Sports Star winner at the 2019 Local Sports Stars gala dinner. SEE THE FULL LIST OF WINNERS.
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It has become a form guide for success in Australian sport - taking out the top gong at the Local Sports Stars of the Year awards.
And if his recent form is any indication, young runner Joshua O’Connell is set to make as big an impact in his sport as other former winners of the Junior Sports Star award.
Kayaker Jessica Fox, aiming for a third medal at her third Olympics in Tokyo next year, has claimed this prestigious award in the past.
So has former schoolgirl sprint sensation Bendere Oboya, who competed at her first elite world championship in Doha last month, and Matilda Ellie Carpenter, who made her international football debut for Australia when just 15.
On Wednesday night, young runner Joshua O’Connell joined this elite group when crowned Junior Sports Star overall winner at the 2019 Local Sports Stars gala dinner at Bankstown Sports Club.
“This is really nice, thank you,” he said after winning.
“I look around and there are so many 18-year-olds and I’m only 12 years old.
“It’s just amazing. I’m shocked.
“It’s a pleasure every day. It gets hard but I love it.”
Trinity Grammar School student O’Connell, who says running makes him happy, achieved an extraordinary feat when he broke the world 800m record for 11-year-old’s in April.
O’Connell (Inner West Courier) recorded a time of 2min 9.95sec - smashing his own personal best by two seconds and a record that had stood since 1979.
Unsurprisingly, it is his goal to represent Australia at the 2024 Olympic Games in France.
In the room to see O’Connell accept his award and $1000 were a host of sport stars including last years winner, multiple Australian diving champion Sam Fricker and cricketer Nathan McAndrew.
Now in their 15th year, the Local Sports Stars Awards - sponsored by Featherdale Wildlife Park and Bankstown Sports Club - turn the spotlight on outstanding young athletes with nominees publicised in NewsLocal’s community newspapers across Sydney and the Central Coast.
Also in the limelight was our overall Inspiration Award winner, swimmer John Dimech-O’Connell (Macarthur Chronicle), who received $1000 and a trophy.
At six months, Dimech-O’Connell was diagnosed with a form of eye cancer called retinoblastoma which, after numerous rounds of chemotherapy, left the talented swimmer with impaired vision in his left eye.
While eligible to swim as a multi-class athlete, the 14-year-old instead competes in open racing and at the NSW state swimming titles won five individual events and two relays.
The Team of Excellence winner, the under 14s Gosford City Rebels girls basketball team (Central Coast Express Advocate), received $1000 and a trophy.
The Rebels qualified for the Australian club and NSW championships after finishing second in the EJL and country championships. Incredibly six players were chosen to represent NSW Country in the Australian Country Development Tour and five were selected to join the Talented Athletes Program.
Our overall Service to Sport winner Chung Dang (Canterbury-Bankstown Express) received $500 and a trophy.
Fifth dan black belt Chung Dang arrived in Australia as a refugee from Vietnam.
The 67-year-old Bankstown local has been teaching his unique martial arts style, Viet quyen dao, at Bankstown PCYC for more than 30 years.
Individual publication winners were also acknowledged with Junior Sports Star winners and Inspiration Award winners receiving $300 and a medal.
Award winners
Junior Sports Stars
Amy Watson, Indoor Skydiving (Blacktown Advocate)
Giorgio Vasiliades, Archery (Canterbury-Bankstown Express)
Gloria Jovic, Tennis (Central Coast Express Advocate)
Fabian Monge, Soccer (Fairfield Advance)
Rebecca Hancock, Sailing (Hills Shire Times)
Wenhan Shen, Fencing (Hornsby Advocate)
Joshua O’Connell, Athletics (Inner West Courier)
Tristan Fernandez, taekwondo (Liverpool Leader)
Mia Gilmore, Softball (Macarthur Chronicle)
Evie Saunders, Sailing (Manly Daily)
Zac West, Sailing (Mosman Daily)
Vladimir Rudenko, Diving (North Shore Times)
Brendan Holden, Swimming (Northern District Times)
Melissa Sullivan, Karate (Parramatta Advertiser)
Charlotte Callinan, Equestrian (Penrith Press)
Aiden Princena-White, Athletics (Rouse Hill Times)
Will Cooley, Sailing (Southern Courier)
Sophia Glasson, Fencing (Wentworth Courier)
Inspiration Awards
Imogen Gow, AFL (Blacktown Advocate)
Heath Davy, Motorcycling (Canterbury-Bankstown Express)
Annabelle Rodgers, Athletics (Central Coast Express Advocate)
Chloe Tate, Gymnastics (Fairfield Advance)
Ethan Princena-White, Athletics (Hills Shire Times)
Patrick Adji, Karate (Hornsby Advocate)
Aiyana Fernandez, Soccer (Inner West Courier)
Kye Costa, Gymnastics (Liverpool Leader)
John Dimech-O’Connell, Swimming (Macarthur Chronicle)
Hunter Sasikin, Brazilian Jiu Jitsu (Manly Daily)
Will Edwards, AFL (Mosman Daily)
Joshua Collett, Swimming (North Shore Times)
Elena Chipizubov, Gymnastics (Northern District Times)
Branden Tse, Archery (Parramatta Advertiser)
Layla Sharp, Athletics (Penrith Press)
Renee Hardy, Athletics (Rouse Hill Times)
Sophie Ferenczi, Athletics (Southern Courier)
MORE NEWS
Service to Sport
Chung Dang, Viet Quyen Dao (Canterbury-Bankstown Express)
Team of Excellence
Gosford City Rebels U14W Championship Division, Basketball (Central Coast Express Advocate)
Overall Junior Sports Star - State Winner
Joshua O’Connell, Athletics (Inner West Courier)
Overall Inspiration Award - State Winner
John Dimech-O’Connell, Swimming (Macarthur Chronicle)