Region's rising sport stars identified

Toowoomba and Darling Downs top young athletes named in The Chronicle list.

YOUNG STAR: St Ursula's College student and Toowoomba Grammar Swimming club athlete Isabelle Mason's performances have earned her a spot in The Chronicle's 21 Rising Stars list. Picture: Kevin Farmer

MULTI-SPORT: Isabelle Mason has taken on some of Australia's best swimmers this year.

Competing at the Commonwealth Games trials, Australian Age and Australian Schools championships she has tested herself physically and mentally.

Mason is a young star on the rise having finished 12th in the Commonwealth Games 200m butterfly trials and winning several medals at the Australian Schools Swimming Championships.

Those performances have earned Mason a place in The Chronicle's inaugural 21 Rising Stars series - a list of the region's top young athletes and officials.

Defining a rising star is subjective so the aim of this list is to generate conversation.

The Chronicle's 21 Rising Stars is by no means a definitive list of athletes making their mark in local, national and international arenas.

Swimmer Isabelle Mason. Picture: Kevin Farmer

Over the past weeks and months The Chronicle sports team has discussed and identified the region's best and brightest.

Some may argue that the achievements of athletes who compete as individuals far outweigh those of any team based sporting endeavour and they could be right.

But the ability for any athlete to stand-out and lead their team to victory also deserves credit.

And we cannot forget our young referees and officials who ensure the playing field is fair.

Over the coming days The Chronicle will preview some of the athletes on the list ahead of an exclusive online roll-out for digital subscribers from Saturday.

Those online will be in print next week.

Let's start a conversation - email your thoughts to [e-mail]

Originally published as Region's rising sport stars identified