There are just three sleeps until the annual NSW Institute of Sport Awards night, and in an Olympic and Paralympic year the competition for who will take out the top gongs is tougher than ever.

 

Hosted by Alan Jones AO and to be held at the Sydney Cricket Ground, the night is a way for NSWIS to show recognition to their finest athletes, coaches and sport programs.

 

While there will be much anticipation for who will win the most coveted awards of the night, the ‘ClubsNSW Male Athlete of the Year’ and ‘Sydney City Toyota Female Athlete of the Year’, another highlight will be the induction of 2008 Olympic gold medallist Matthew Mitcham into the ‘NSWIS Most Outstanding’.

 

The award is presented upon the retirement of athletes that have made a unique personal contribution to their chosen sport and have achieved outstanding international success.

 

Mitcham will be the seventh inductee and will join Ian Thorpe OAM, Alyson Annan OAM, Michael Milton OAM, Bradley McGee OAM, Louise Sauvage OAM and Liz Ellis OAM.

 

The other awards of the night will recognise athletes in both their sporting pursuits, academic and personal achievements. The coach of the year and program of the year will also be awarded.

 

Gunning for the ‘ClubsNSW Male Athlete of the Year’ and ‘Sydney City Toyota Female Athlete of the Year’ is a star studded list of athletes including Olympic and Paralympic gold medallists.

 

On the men’s side, sailing golden boy Tom Burton will be up against Paralympic gold medallists Ryley Batt and James Turner, Olympic silver medallist Cameron Girdlestone, and world number two moguls skier Matthew Graham.

There is an equally talented shortlist for the women’s award, headlined by Paralympic gold medallists Ellie Cole and Maddison Elliot, Olympic medallist Lisa Darmanin and Jessica Fox, while recently named Australian Diamonds netball captain Sharni Layton will also be in the mix.

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While athletes often take centre stage, the night is equally about the coaches that work tirelessly behind the scenes. Among those nominated for the ‘Southern Design Coach of the Year’ is Myriam Fox, who could make it a family affair if both she and daughter Jessica win their respective categories.

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With both Jessica and Myriam Fox nominated individually, it comes as no surprise that canoe slalom will be among the finalists for the ‘Sydney Olympic Park Authority Program of the Year’. The category also has track and field, which enjoyed breakout performances at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, winter sports and netball, a sport that is entering an exciting new era.

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Of the up-and comers in the ‘Mizuno Junior Athlete of the Year’ category, Elliot is nominated for her second award and is joined by hockey players Blake Govers and Grace Stewart, cyclist Cameron Scott and talented swimmers Tiffany Thomas Kane, a Rio Paralympic gold medallist at just 15-years of age, and national 200m breaststroke swimming champion Matthew Wilson.

Cole, Graham and Layton have all been shortlisted for a second award of the night in the ‘Australian College of Physical Education Personal Excellence’ category. Water polo Olympian Johnno Cotterill and Paralympic wheelchair rugby gold medallist Andrew Edmondson join them.

Meanwhile the finalists for ‘The University of Sydney Academic Excellence’ award is highlighted by Olympians Anneliese Rubie and Jenny Blundell, as well as Paul Counsell who is on the march back to the hockey field after spending much of the year injured.

Both Maddison Elliot and Matthew Graham will be in the running for ‘NSW Institute of Sport Regional Athlete of the Year’ award, their third of the night. Meanwhile Batt and Turner earn their second shortlisting, sailor Liesl Tesch her first.

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And on the list for the ‘Ian Thorpe OAM Outstanding Achievement Award’ is perseverant swimmer Matthew Abood, winter sports stars Belle Brockhoff and Alex Pullin, canoe sprint tough men Dylan Littlehales (2016 Paralympics) and Murray Stewart (2016 Olympics), as well as cyclist Ashlee Ankudinoff.

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The 2016 NSWIS Awards Dinner will be held this Thursday, November 17 at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

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