Powerlifting champion, Ethan McLeod was named Cobar’s Sports Person of the Year at Monday’s Australia Day awards ceremony.
Runner, Pearl Blackburn earned the Kerrigundi Junior Sports Person award and Cobar Netball Association Life Member Sherrin Wharton was presented with the Services to Sport award.
Ethan collected the Australia Day honour after his success last year at the World Powerlifting Championships in Brazil where he won a bronze medal in his age/weight division.
Ethan squat lifted 150kg, bench lifted 87.5kg and deadlifted 165kg and set a world record in the strict bicep curl competition.
Pearl Blackburn is a champion runner, and earned the Kerrigundi award for her achievements over the past year in Athletics at school, regional and state levels along with competing at regional and combined high schools carnivals in cross country and participating in cross country athletics at invitational meets in America.
Pearl managed to also fit in running a half marathon charity event last year.
A long time volunteer with the Cobar Netball Association, Sherrin Wharton earned this year’s Services to Sport Award.
Sherrin has helped out in every club role— umpire, coach, coordinator, president, secretary, treasurer, canteen (and player).
She was involved with fundraising for the club helping to organize events like Lip Sync Battle, has helped with grant writing and also played a major role in the re-surfacing of the current courts.
Among the other nominees for this year’s sporting awards were: Claudine Griffiths – for her achievements in cycling, including riding 800km with the Tour de OROC fundraiser for the Macquarie Home Stay; Isaac Theakston – for involvement in numerous sports including running Ultra Marathons, triathlons, soccer, netball, tennis and squalleyball; Molly Birch – for participation in Ultra Marathons, triathlons, netball, soccer, and squalleyball; Ella Armstong – for her achievements in equestrian events at local and state level and participation at Equitana in Melbourne; Lila Armstrong – also for her achievements in equestrian events at local and state level and participation at Equitana in Melbourne; Joshua Gillette – for achievements in Little A’s, swimming, Taekwondo, Touch, Junior League and school sports; Isabelle Gillette – for achievements in Little A’s, swimming, in the Castlereagh Cougars Rugby League competition and the Far West Academy of Sport rugby league; Michelle Gillette – for her involvement in Little A’s, Rugby League, Rugby Union and Touch; Stephen Gillette – for his service as president of the Cobar Swimming Club and vice president of Little A’s; Tarra Burke – for contributions to Cobar Junior Rugby League; and Emma Barton – for her involvement in Junior League and Junior and Senior Touch.
