Territory sportspeople to be celebrated at the upcoming 2020 NT Sports Awards

AN INTERNATIONAL cricketer, an AFLW player and a W-League rising star are among the contenders for the NT Sports Awards. SEE SOME OF THE NOMINEES HERE

Australian cricketer Kane Richardson is among the nominees for NT Sportsperson of the Year. (Photo by Gareth Copley/Getty Images)

THE upcoming 2020 NT Sports Awards will celebrate and recognise the Territory’s elite sportspeople in a ceremony held on December 5.

Nominees have been selected based on performances from 2019 however, due to COVID-19 the ceremony was pushed back.

Previous winners of the NT Sportsperson of the year include AFL Hawthorn legend Cyril Rioli Jr, hockey Olympian Nova Peris and rugby league star James McManus.

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Nominees for the 2020 NT Sportsperson of the year include St Mary’s WPL star Danielle Ponter who had a massive season with the Adelaide Crows in the AFLW.

Ponter is also known to play basketball with Uni Rebels and rugby league for Sistaz, the NRL Nt premiership winning side in the 2020 season.

Australian cricketer Kane Richardson is another among the nominees with the right-arm fast-medium bowler having frequently been named in the national limited overs squads.

They will be up against fellow nominee Justin Costello for the award with Costello having a breakout couple of years in the touch football circuit playing in the 2019 Touch Rugby World Cup winning side.

Senior director for sport and active recreation Ian Ford said the ceremony was a great way for the community to come together in celebration of the Territory’s sportspeople.

“The Awards is a great opportunity for the sport community to come together and recognise the excellence of those involved in Territory sport,” he said.

“The calibre of sportspeople we have in the Territory is outstanding. I look forward to celebrating their achievements at the 2020 NT Sports Awards.”

The sports awards also recognise the Territory’s junior athletes with previous winners including wheelchair basketball Paralympian Tom O’Neil-Thorne and WNBL winner Abby Cubillo.

Junior Sportsperson of the Year nominees for 2020 include golfer Katelyn Rika who has recently made the move to America to pursue her sport.

Other nominees for the junior award include Malcolm Rosas Jr who picked up by the Gold Coast Suns, Declan MacGillivray for his rugby league efforts and Sydney FC star Shadeen Evans.

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Other award categories recognise volunteers, officials, coaches and teams with the three non-nominated awards being the NT Hall of Champions, NT Roll of Honour and the Steve Abala Role Model (the Administrator’s Medal).

The awards ceremony will be held between 6pm and 9.30pm at the Darwin Convention Centre with the $100 ticket entry including admission, food and drinks.