THE Mandurah Sports Awards were hosted last week at David Grays Arena.
Nine awards were handed out, including the prestigious Mandurah Sports Person of the Year title, which went to Featherweight boxer Jackson England.
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READ NOWEngland is a state and national champion and trains 15 hours a day.
Another boxer was honoured on the night. Sophie ‘The Bullet’ Ingledew was named joint Junior Sports Person of the Year with sailor Georgia Payne.
Both girls are looking to competing at next year’s Olympics in Tokyo.
Ingledew said she found a unique path into the sport when she was a child.
“I watched The Karate Kid with my brother, then went and did karate and it flowed from there,” she said.
Mandurah Dragon Boat Club president Malcolm Anderson was named the Sports Person of the Year with a Disability and said he was proud to have found a sport he and his family could do together.
“It’s a family affair; we all do it,” he said.
Cathy Raynor won Senior Sports Person of the Year for her Barefoot Water Skiing achievements, while the Peel Thunder Rogers Cup team claimed Junior Sports Team of the Year for their premiership triumph.
The volunteers that keep sport running were also honoured on the night, with Andrea (AJ) Camarda named Female Volunteer of the Year for her work in netball and Mandurah Surf Life Saving Club’s Russell Price winning the Male Volunteer of the Year award.
Mandurah Surf Life Saving Club was also awarded Club of the Year as well as having its Starfish Nippers program recognised with the Sport Inclusion Award.
Guests sat riveted to their seats as special guest, Olympic pole vaulter Liz Parnova, shared her story.
Nate Lansdall provided entertainment and music while Channel 7’s Mark Readings was the MC.