Gold Coast sports stars of 2018
They were the Gold Coast talents who lit up sport in 2018. Meet our very best performers.
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THEY were the Gold Coast talents who lit up sport in 2018. Meet our very best performers.
NIC PETERSON
The classy left-hander has for several seasons shown his class in the Kookaburra Cup and this year was no different.
He piled on 843 runs at an average of 60.21 in points matches from January to December.
MATT HILTON
The evergreen Burleigh striker (below) enjoyed another fruitful season on the football pitch with 27 goals in 19 games.
He joined Broadbeach midfielder Shaun Robinson as joint winners of the Tony Cecco Medal as Player of the Year at Football Gold Coast’s annual presentation night.
HAMISH STEWART
One shining light is Aussie rugby is the emergence of flyhalf Stewart, whose Bond Uni club barely saw him as he ingrained himself in the Reds.
Known for his big kicking game, Stewart even got the chance to spend time training with the Wallabies.
RYAN JAMES
Titans skipper James led from the front with tireless effort in another testing NRL season.
It did not go unnoticed, with James coming within a whisker of a State of Origin debut for NSW and then cleaning up in end-of-season awards.
MICHAEL MANTEIT
Southport midfielder Manteit capped off his NEAFL premiership success by winning two of the Sharks biggest awards in 2018.
Manteit was named the Doc Mackenzie Medallist – the club’s best and fairest title – as well as claiming the Wally Fankhauser Memorial Trophy.
TOBY PRICE
As well as a long list of other achievements, the motorsport star attempted the Iron Man Double (car and bike titles) at the Finke Desert Race.
While he missed out on the car title, the 31-year-old led the bikes to finish, more than 10 minutes ahead of rivals.
CORMAC KENNEDY-LEVERETT
The rower has had a stellar year in junior rowing. The 18-year-old became the national champion in under-19, under-21 and under-23 single scull, before going on to claim silver at the Junior World Champions and bronze at the Youth Olympics in the single scull in a shorter 500m format compared to the 2km he’s previously raced. Kennedy-Leverett’s achievements led him to be shortlisted for the AIS Emerging Athlete of the Year.
LAURA TAYLOR
The 19-year-old showed that she was not to be messed with when she beat Olympic medallist Emma McKeon in the 200m butterfly to claim a spot at the Commonwealth Games.
Taylor went on to claim a silver medal, before switching to the ocean and snaring a gold at the Australian Surf life Saving Championships in Perth.
After winning the Australian age swimming titles, she was also named the Gold Coast Bulletin Local Sports Star.
PAT POLITONI
Politoni could not have done much more to help Burleigh’s dreams of a second Intrust
Super Cup title in three years.
On a weekly basis, the tough-as-nails rake would get through a mountain of work.
He was again named the ISC’s premier hooker and was selected for the Queensland Residents representative side.
STEPHANIE GILMORE
A seventh world surfing title – what else is there to say about the 30-year-old sensation?
The Tweed Coaster matched Layne Beachley’s seemingly unbeatable milestone of seven crowns thanks to the early demise of rival Lakey Peterson at the Maui Pro last month. Title No.8 is now within sight.
BECKY KAY
At just 19, Kay has become one of Australia’s biggest golfing hopes. Among other achievements, helping break down the gender divide and lining up against the men – and beating a quite a few – in October’s Queensland Open was perhaps the highlight.
TOM DEARDEN
The 18-year-old halfback captained Palm Beach Currumbin to their first national schoolboy title in a decade and was rewarded for his form with the Peter Sterling Medal that has previously been awarded to Ben Elias and Ryan James.
He also holds a Broncos contract.
DELISSA KIMMINCE
Just years after giving cricket away to play AFLW, the Dolphins allrounder, 29, played her way back into the Australian team – and collected a World T20 title for her efforts.
JARROD HARBROW
Respected Suns AFL club man was a shining light in a bleak season.
The defender, 30, was a beacon of strength, providing grunt going forward while halting opposition attacks.
However, it was Harbrow’s ability to mentor the club’s youngest players earnt him huge praise.
TAZMIN GRAY
The 23-year-old mother and sister of Kiwi winger Jordan Rapana played for Queensland in the inaugural women’s Origin match, lined up for the Roosters in their NRLW grand final loss to Brisbane and helped Burleigh to another state women’s premiership.
BLAKE ERICKSON
Broadbeach QAFL midfielder was at the centre of a Cats revival, which resulted in a first grand final appearance in 22 years.
He became just the second Broadbeach player to win the prestigious Grogan Medal, the league’s best and fairest.
RYAN PLUMB
Jockey Plumb has become the man all Gold Coast trainers want to ride their horses.
Plumb won the Gold Coast jockeys premiership for the 2017-18 season, riding 47 winners at Aquis Park and 66 overall.
The 29-year-old is on track to defend his title, leading the standings for 2018-19, with 15 wins on the Gold Coast.
BRETT WILKIE
The Gold Coast Bulletin’s very own bowls columnist Wilkie has finished his lawn bowling career on a high.
Wilkie was a baton bearer before claiming a silver at the Commonwealth Games and finished the year off by being honoured with the best international bowler award by Bowling Australia.
KATRIN GARFOOT
Adding to our gold medal tally at the Commonwealth Games was cyclist Garfoot, 37, who claimed top spot in the women’s individual time trial.
She claimed her third consecutive time trial national title earlier in the year and retired shortly after the Games.
SCOTT McLAUGHLIN
After his close call with the Supercars crown in 2017, the St Stephen’s College graduate went one better to hold off fellow Gold Coaster Shane van Gisbergen.
MATT BEVILACQUA AND BRIELLE COOPER
Kurrawa’s Bevilacqua, 26, and Cooper, 19, became the first couple to take out the Ironman and Ironwoman Nutri-Grain series titles in February. Since then, Bevilacqua defended his title at the Molokai to Oahu paddleboard championships.
SKYE NICOLSON
With a heartbreaking story of her brother’s death spurring her on boxer Skye Nicolson, 23, claimed a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in the 57kg division. Her efforts had her shortlisted for the QAS Peter Lacey Award for Sporting Excellence.
EMMA McKEON
Golden girl Emma Mckeon, 24, claimed the largest medal haul from the Commonwealth Games for Australia. She won four golds in the women’s 100m butterfly, women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x200m freestyle relay and the 4x100m medley relay, as well as bronzes in the women’s 200m freestyle and 200m butterfly.
DOMONIC BEDGGOOD
The 24-year-old diver claimed gold at the Commonwealth Games in the men’s 10m platform, becoming only the fifth Australian to take the title.
He also came away from the games with bronzes in the men’s synchronised 3m springboard and the men’s synchronised 10m platform.
Bedggood finished 2018 off with a gold at the FINA Diving Grand Prix in the 3m mixed synchronised with fellow Aussie Annabelle Smith.
MATHEW BELCHER
Belcher, 36, continues to solidify himself as the world’s best sailor. After claiming top spot in the 2018 World Cup Series Final in Marseille in June, Belcher finished first in the Kieler Woche in Germany and ends the year at No.1.
ASH GENTLE
Gentle, 27, has had a stellar 2018. She claimed a gold in the mixed team relay at the Commonwealth Games before taking out the ITU World Series in September.
Gentle also went down in the record books after winning her sixth Noosa Triathlon.
GEORGIA ROSE-BROWN AND GEORGIA GODWIN
Our gymnasts shone at the Commonwealth Games with Godwin, 21, and Rose-Brown, 23, claiming bronze in the women’s and women’s team final and individual qualification.
Godwin also claimed silver in the women’s individual all-round and bronze in the uneven bars, while Rose-Brown came away with a silver in the balance beam.
DANI STEVENS
Powerhouse discus thrower Stevens, 30, won gold at the Commonwealth Games.
The current national and Oceanian record holder of 69.64m has come first in all but two of the eight competitions she’s entered this year, including the Gold Coast Australian Championships and the Sydney Athletics Grand Prix.
MEG McELLIGOTT
While the former Gold Coast United striker has since moved on, she managed a remarkable 50 goals in 26 NPLW fixtures.
It was enough to land 23-year-old McElligott a deal with Canberra United in the W-League.
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