Junior, Para & Tech: Sports Gold Coast reveal every 2023 finalist across seven categories
Every finalist has been named ahead of the 55th annual Sports Gold Coast awards. See who’s in line for each category, from junior and para-Athletes to tech innovation and sports photography. Updated list inside:
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Every finalist has been named ahead of the 55th annual Sports Gold Coast awards.
An array of codes feature this year (2023) including basketball, rugby 7s, tennis, combat sports and more.
See who’s in line for each category, from Junior and Para-Athletes to Tech Innovation and Sports Photography.
JUNIOR SPORTS STAR
Indy Cotton
Indy Cotton is a promising basketball player from Australia. Born on May 8, 2007, Indy stands at a height of 191cm (6’3). He plays as a shooting guard for the Queensland club. Indy has shown his prowess in various tournaments. In the FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2023, he played 6 games, averaging 11.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists per game. In the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship, he played 5 games, averaging 13.2 points, 2.4 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. Indy’s performance on the court has been consistently impressive, with a player efficiency of 14.8 in the FIBA U16 Asian Championship 2023 and 14.2 in the FIBA U15 Oceania Championship. His talent and potential have made him a notable figure in Australian basketball. He has been selected to play in the NBA Global Academy.
Chloe Covell
Became the youngest winner of the street final in history when she won gold at the X Games in July at just 13, confirming her place as one of the favourites for the discipline at the Paris Olympics next year. Already the first athlete to win two X Games medals before the age of 13, Covell became the first Aussie woman to win gold in a summer X Games discipline.
Flynn Southam
Won gold in the 4x100 freestyle and 4x100 mixed freestyle at the world swimming championships and got bronze in the 4x200 freestyle. Won gold in the 200m freestyle and 4x100 mixed freestyle at the World Aquatics Junior Swimming Championships, silver in the 50m freestyle and 4x100 freestyle and bronze in the 4x200m freestyle. At the 2023 Aus Swimming titles he earned silver in the 200m freestyle, bronze in the 50m freestyle in a personal best of 22.32 seconds and bronze in the 100m freestyle before winning the national title in the 4x100 freestyle relay.
Billy Dowling
The Surfers Paradise (Golf) member topped the Australian Amateur Order of Merit on the back of a huge 2023 that has many in the industry comparing him to a young Cameron Smith. The feat allowed him to play in the Qld PGA Championships, a professional event, at Nudgee where he finished 15th. Dowling won the Qld Amateur and Qld Match Play Championships, the first to do both in the one year for the first time in around 40 years. He also won the Keperra Bowl, South Pacific Junior Open and Gary Player Classic.
Emerson Jones
The 15-year-old Gold Coast tennis prodigy made her way into history books after becoming the youngest player to claim an ITF Grade A junior competition since Australian sporting idol Ash Barty. In the same year Jones made it to the third round of the Wimbledon Junior Championships and Roland Garros Junior Championships as well as the second round of the Australian Open Junior Championships.
PARA-SPORTS STAR
Natasha Price
Gold Coast Woman of the Year (Champion of Sport) 2022, appointed Australian Chair of Sports Empowerment for the G100 in 2023, QLD record holder T54 100m (broke 20 year record) & 400m (Jan 2023), winner Auckland 2019 and Brisbane Marathons 2023, National bronze medallist 400m (2021, 2022, 2023) and 200m (2023), Oceania Champion 100, 200, 400 & 800m (2022), gold medallist (seated 1 division) Oceania Throwdown Adaptive CrossFit competition (2023). At the Gold Coast Marathon and Oita Marathon (Japan) this year, Natasha qualified and secured her place for her first world major marathon elite race at April’s 2024 London Marathon. She is currently chasing her dream of representing Australia at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
Madeleine McTernan
As an S14 swimmer, Madeleine has achieved significant milestones. Notably, she secured a silver medal in the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay S14 at the 2020 Summer Paralympics. In 2022, her talent shone brightly with two silver medals in the mixed 4×100 freestyle relay S14 and mixed 4×100 medley relays at the World Para Swimming Championships in Madeira. Adding to her list of accomplishments, Madeleine competed in the Women’s 200m Freestyle S14, finishing 4th in the final. Continuing her success in 2023, Madeleine brought home two more medals in the mixed 4×100 medley relay S14 and mixed 4×100 freestyle relay S14 at the Manchester World Para Swimming Championships. The mixed medley relay team furthermore smashed the existing world record, set by Great Britain, by nearly three seconds in a time of 4:07.71.
Michael Shippley
In August last year, Michael took the silver medal in the Men’s 1km Time Trial C4 at the 2023 UCI Para-Cycling Track World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland.
Kai Collees
He secured the world title in his division at the US Adaptive Surfing Championships in California, overcoming symptoms of arteriovenous malformation (AVM). Following this triumph, Kai made a triumphant return to competitive surfing in Hawaii, winning his first adaptive surfing event after diagnosis and treatment. His global recognition continued with a stellar performance in Costa Rica at the world adaptive surfing titles. Kai’s victory at the US Championships also qualified him to represent Australia at the ISA World Para Surfing Championship in Huntington Beach, California
Rani Hancock
Rani took gold at this year’s Australian Special Olympic Games in Launceston in the 100m and 200m sprints. In doing so she qualified for the World Special Olympic Games in Berlin where she played an integral part in Australia taking the bronze medal in the 4x100m relay.
Ella Sabljak
Last year’s winner of this award had another outstanding year as a member of the Australian Steelers wheelchair rugby team. Ella was a member of the team that won the 2023 Wheelchair Rugby World Cup this year in Paris (53-48 win over Canada in the final) and continues to go from strength to strength playing against invariably male opposition in the sport once colloquially known as Murderball.
Curtis McGrath
The triple Paralympic canoeing gold medallist was named co-captain of the Australian team for the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games alongside athletics star Angie Ballard after taking gold and bronze at the Duisburg, Germany 2023 ICF World Canoe Sprint Championships. Curtis was the recipient of a 2023 Australian Sports Medal and was Paddle Australia’s 2023 Paddler of the Year alongside Olympic gold medallist Jessica Fox.
SPORTS STAR
Maddison Levi
Maddi has had an incredible year being nominated for the World Rugby Women’s 7s player of the year. She set a record for the greatest number of tries scored on the HSBC World Series with 57 in seven events. Second best was 43 tries, breaking the series record held by legendary Kiwi Portia Woodman. In December in Cape Town, as Australia claimed back-to-back World Series titles, Maddi became the fastest player to rack up 100 tries in international competition, achieving the feat in just 15 tournaments, eclipsing next best Emilee Cherry who took 22 tournaments to score her 100. Maddi ranked at 19 in Insight Sport’s top 50 female athletes of 2023 beating NRLW & AFLW players.
Alastair Day
Despite an injury plagued year, Ironman legend Ali Day extended his reign as the greatest ever athlete to compete in the Coolangatta Gold, winning his 9th title in 2023. Ali, who has won the race every time he’s started, was eager to add another Coolangatta Gold title to his trophy cabinet, but knew it wasn’t going to be an easy feat with one of the strongest fields ever assembled. Reigning Nutri-Grain Ironman champion Matt Bevilacqua spearheaded the chase pack that featured world Ironman champion Cory Taylor and veteran ironman Kendrick Louis.
Mackenzie Arnold
Gold Coast born and bred Matilda’s goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has been involved with the national women’s football team since 2012 — going to the 2015, 2019 and 2023 World Cups, and the 2016 and 2020 Olympics. Few will forget her heroics at the 2023 FIFA women’s World Cup quarter-final against France in Brisbane, where in front of a sell out crowd of over 50,000 people and millions watching on TV, she was named player of the match after saving three spot kicks in the penalty shootout see the Matildas progress to the final four for the first time.
Kate Kyros
Kate Kyros finished the 2023 domestic season with a swag of awards at the Australian Dressage Championships. The Bond University Law and Business student has made a habit of breaking records since advancing out of juniors and into the 21 and under Young Riders division this season. The results were enough to see her named overall FEI CDI U25 National Reserve Champion. Her standout performances across the different divisions and classes saw her awarded the prestigious Dietmar Specht Memorial Trophy which recognises outstanding talent in riders under 30 years. Kate will now head to Florida in November for a four-month stay where she will train and compete against the world’s best riders at the 2024 Adequan Global Dressage Festival. She intends to compete in eight International CDI events over three months. She is also in the frame for possible section in the Australian team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Brodie Kostecki
In the Repco Supercars Championship, Kostecki drives the No. 99 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Erebus Motorsport. He won the 2023 Supercars Championship and has consistently competed at a high level in this series. Kostecki also takes part in the NASCAR Cup Series, where he drives a Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 for Erebus Motorsport in a collaboration with Richard Childress Racing. He made his Cup Series debut in the race at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway road course in 2023. Before his professional career, Kostecki was ranked among the top 50 go-kart racers in Australia when he was 10 years old. He moved to the U.S. with his father at age 13 to pursue a racing career and competed in the USAC Ford Focus Series, winning three national championships.
Jai Opetaia
Last year’s Gold Coast Sports Star of the Year Jai Opetaia wasn’t happy about being stripped of his IBF cruiserweight belt and took his anger out on Ellis Zorro in murderous fashion in the first round of their fight in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, in December. He had lost his belt after electing to take the fight on the monster card, but he showed the world why he’s the most devastating cruiserweight on the planet. As the pair exchanged in the opening round, Jai launched forward with a nuclear left hook that landed clean on the button. The shot sent Zorro crashing straight back to the canvas for a stunning first round knockout.
Ellie Beer
Gold Coast product and Tokyo 2020 representative Ellie Beer headlined the Australian athletics team at the Pacific Games which were held at Honiara in the Solomon Islands from 27 November – 3 December by winning the 400m gold medal in emphatic fashion.
Rosie Malone
Gold Coast born Rosie Malone has been in the Hockeyroos since 2018 and has competed at two FIH World Cups, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games. In 2023 she successfully competed in the FIH Pro-League in Sydney and the Netherlands, a Test Series against China in Perth and the 2023 Oceania Cup in New Zealand.
Hayley Raso
Gold Coast born Hayley Raso played for Australia’ squad in the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. In Australia’s final group match against Canada, she scored the first two goals of the game in what was a 4-0 win and was judged player of the match. Hayley also scored in the Round of 16 match against Denmark.
Ethan Ewing
Ethan Ewing is known for his impeccable edge surfing and is often compared to Mick Fanning and Andy Irons, mainly for the way he attacks the waves. In 2023 he won the Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach and put in strong performances in the VIVO Rio Pro, Corona Open J-Bay and Surf Ranch Pro on his way to finishing second in the 2023 World Surfing League World Tour. It was a remarkable year, especially after having to bounce back after fracturing his L3 and L4 vertebrae in a Tahiti wipe-out in August. Ethan is in the frame for Paris 2024 Olympic Games selection.
DAPHNE PIRIE SPIRIT OF SPORT
Jenny Alcorn
Ms Alcorn is a Gold Coast based triathlon coach. She is 64 years old and has been actively coaching junior level, and senior athletes, for 25 years. When it comes to epitomising the “spirit of sport”, Jenny has been a pillar for many young triathletes who, at the time, could not afford the cost of equipment and training fees, to reach their highest potential. Privately, Jenny has assisted dozens of age group athletes by donating equipment, forgoing training fees, assisting with specialised coaching sessions, and transporting athletes to events. All this has come from a place of enormous generosity and gratitude. Some of these athletes have gone on to become world triathlon champions.
Throughout her career, Jenny has shown exceptional humility, always putting the club (Surfers Paradise Triathlon Club) first.
Her racing career has seen her achieve the highest level of success including winning the World ITU title in 1992, the 2016 World Ironman Championships in Kona Hawaii and the 2016 World Off Road championships in Jindabyne. Her national and state accolades are further proof of her ability as an athlete, however, it is her dedication to individuals, and the broader triathlon community, that is the basis of this nomination.
In October 2023, she was diagnosed with stage 4 brain cancer with the diagnosis confirming a life expectancy of potentially less than 14 months. Jenny is currently fighting the cancer known as GBM, which is recognised as the most aggressive of all brain tumours. She accepts the prognosis is bleak, however, her spirit and steely determination may just prove the medical specialists wrong.
Over November-December 2023-24, she undertook 30 days of radiotherapy and chemotherapy with doctors to reassess her condition in February 2024. Displaying incredible spirit and human endeavour, Jenny remains fully focused on her junior athletes, school group and club commitments. One example is that despite being unable to drive to her training sessions, she rides her bike there to organise the session, encourage others and record individual times and statistics for her young athletes.
In every way, Jenny’s spirit emulates that of the late, great, Daphne Pirie and she is a worthy nominee for the 2024 awards.
Natalie Arnold
Nat has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to fostering physical activity and promoting overall well-being through their extensive involvement in volunteering. Over an extended period of time, she has encouraged participation in daily physical activity through volunteering time creating the ‘Fly’ initiative. She’s been a beacon of inspiration for thousands of individuals seeking to embrace a healthier lifestyle. In Nat’s mind, a daily walk can lead to a stepping stone into other sport participation, something she’s very passionate about.
She’s a regular volunteer with Park Run and at local running and triathlon events. Earlier this year, she helped aid a blind runner in a 10km running event, achieving their personal best recorded time. One of Nat’s remarkable achievements lies in their measurable contribution to the increased participation in triathlon. Their weekly volunteer efforts in training new swimmers have been instrumental in welcoming and guiding newcomers into the sport. Through their mentorship and support, they have not only introduced individuals to triathlon but have also empowered them to embrace the challenges with enthusiasm and confidence.
What sets Nat apart is their embodiment of selflessness, courage, dedication, and unwavering commitment. Their actions consistently reflect a genuine passion for the sport and a profound desire to see others succeed. Their remarkable spirit and relentless efforts have not only elevated the sport of triathlon but have also positively impacted the lives of those they have mentored and encouraged.
Nat exemplifies the true essence of an individual dedicated to the advancement of triathlon, promoting physical activity, and fostering a culture of wellbeing. Their selfless contributions and tireless commitment have left an indelible mark on the triathlon community, making them a highly deserving candidate for Daphne Pirie Spirit of Sport award.
JUNIOR VOLUNTEER OF THE YEAR
Jaiden Heffernan
A senior U16’s player, in 2023 Jaiden volunteered as coach of our NetSetGo U10s Fireflies team. Jaiden also contributed this year with often including the Under 8s in her training and by mentoring the U8’s “Foxes” team coaches, As Captain of the Senior team, she has volunteered further with Manager tasks and at times, training of her Senior team. Additionally, volunteering at club duty day, carnivals and external events such as Family get together and our Presentation Day events.
TECHNOLOGY/ INNOVATION OF THE YEAR
Jon Shepherd
Playbk Sports – The SUNS required an online solution that could connect and activate fans at scale across schools, academy’s, coaches, and the wider community. SUNS Learning is a customised Learning Management System (LMS) and is home to a suite of player and coach led online products designed to deliver authentic impact with fans. SUNS Learning continues to trail blaze with world-class online learning products across leadership & character development in schools, youth fitness, teacher professional development and more.
Key benefits & impact:
Queensland Curriculum aligned
Future proofed fan engagement
Inclusive
Anytime, anywhere and on any device
Positions the Gold Coast SUNS as leaders in the AFL
Bryan Oram
Sign on day
Alex Trashcheev
UPT GOLF – The project solves problems. For athletes: learn how to play well for less money and time as personal training is expensive to build and not easy to find a good coach, write down their impressions for analysis, watch their progress. For trainers: work remotely and get as many clients. B2B: increase in loading of courts and golf academies, plus increasing the quality of service. How does it work: The athlete places their mobile phone on a tripod and records the training or movement. AI then evaluates the movement, gives basic feedback on mistakes and recommendations on how to improve. If there is not enough information, the video can be sent to the athlete’s coach for an additional fee, who will analyse, mark the movement, and dictate recommendations in cases where there are mistakes. Implemented application functions: – Motion recording at 240 fps, gallery and video comparison with reference beats. – AI video rating. – Tools for watching videos and the ability to leave voice comments on videos. – Ability to send videos to coaches for a meeting. – Ability to get better results in social networks.
Joel McDonald
Dritimes – Rapid dry towels for elite sports
Cinefly
Cinefly is a media-tech start-up with a platform that delivers quality user-generated video stories at scale. For grassroots, pro and elite clubs. Cinefly streamlines media production, amplifies community engagement and offers new revenue streams.
Reece Ganis
AUSHOOPERS – Meda based platform that showcased Australian basketball talent and connects with scouts worldwide
PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Dylan Parker
Nardia Mulkerrins
Bailey Sands
James Haiden
Ben Grimes
Patricio Alfaro
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