Following a record number of nominations from the Victorian sporting community, finalists have been announced for the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards (VSAs), an event that recognises and celebrates the achievements of our home-grown sporting heroes at both a grassroots and high-performance level.

Across 19 categories, over 215 nominations were received which honour those who have made an exceptional contribution to sport and recreation in Victoria during the previous calendar year.

Individual and team athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, administrators, media personnel and the initiatives that promoted participation from both metropolitan and regional areas were acknowledged as well as the elite sportspeople who shone at national and international tournaments including the Commonwealth Games, Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics.

The quality and breadth of the nominations received makes selecting the finalists a difficult endeavour. To this end, 39 highly qualified Victorian sports people were invited to constitute the judging panels charged with selecting the finalists, and eventual winners, across the 19 categories.

Judges included four-time Olympic marathoner Steve Moneghetti AM OLY, Head of Female Cricket at Cricket Victoria Sharelle McMahon as well as CEOs from the Victorian Institute of Sport (Anne Marie Harrison), Netball Victoria (Andrea Pearman), Bowls Victoria (Tony Sherwill) and Disability Sport & Recreation Victoria (Liz Tesone).

At this year’s VSAs, the Frank Wilkes Award for outstanding results achieved at a national or international level in a male category will be contested by Tyson Bull (Artistic Gymnastics), Jesse Coulson (Life Saving), Tony D'Alberto (Motorsport) and Scotty James (Snowboarding).

For outstanding results achieved nationally or internationally in female categories the Kitty McEwan Award finalists are Jakara Anthony (Mogul Skiing), Aoife Coughlan (Judo), Jessica Gallagher (Rowing, Track Cycling) and Elizabeth Watson (Netball).

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Other notable finalists include the Melbourne Boomers (WNBL Champions) and the Melbourne Football Club (AFLW Premiers) in the Team of the Year category and Amy Lawton (Hockey world Cup bronze medalist) and Dyson Daniels (NBA rookie) in the Young Athlete of the Year category.

Presented by the State Government of Victoria and Vicsport, the VSAs will be held on Wednesday 7 June, 2023, in the Victory Room at Marvel Stadium.

In addition to the 19 awards nominated by the Victorian sporting community, the most prestigious award of the night, the State Government Outstanding Contribution to Victorian Sport Award, will be bestowed to an individual for their lifelong commitment to sport in Victoria.

Previous recipient of the award include Peggy O’Neal AO, Malcolm Speed AO, Cadel Evans AM and Nicole Livingstone OAM.

Vicsport Chair Ritchie Hinton says:

“Vicsport is delighted to recognise and celebrate the wonderful achievements of the sport and recreation community in Victoria during 2022.

“We received a record amount of nominations this year and that, combined with the calibre of nominations, is a fantastic showcase of the successes throughout our industry. My thanks to the esteemed panel of judges who have the challenging but rewarding task of deciding finalists and winners and I look forward to honouring those recipients at the 2022 Victorian Sport Awards in June.”

The Hon. Ros Spence, Minister for Community Sport says:

“It’s fantastic to see this latest group of outstanding Victorians nominated by their communities for going above and beyond at all levels of sport. Congratulations to all the finalists.”

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