IT’S been an amazing weekend for Port Macquarie’s James Magnussen.
While the teenager secured the Newcastle Permanent Hastings Sportsperson of the Year award at the annual presentation ceremony on Friday morning, the 17-year-old was also diving into the 2010 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre.
Magnussen beat a red-hot field to claim the area’s top honour, upstaging last year’s winner Tim Berkel (triathlon), Kimberley Broderick (indoor cricket), Allison Shreeve (windsurfing), Chase O’Leary (bodyboarding), Stephen Searson (swimming), Mitchell Breheny (climbing), Adam Taylor (tennis) and Kim Chilton (rowing).
He captured a gold medal when he won the 17-18 years 100m freestyle at the NSW State Age Championships, setting a new allcomers record in the process with a blistering time of 50.76 seconds.
Magnussen then picked up a silver in the same event at the Australian Age Championships.
As a result, he gained selection in the national youth swimming team for the Duel In The Pool with Japan, again finishing runner-up in the 100m freestyle.
At the 2010 Telstra Australian Swimming Championships, Magnussen was the sixth fastest qualifier in the 100m event, clocking 50.11, after the preliminary heats.
He moved into the semis, before booking a berth in the decider alongside the likes of Eamon Sullivan, Andrew Lauterstein, Matthew Abood and Tommaso D’Orsogna.
On Friday night, Sullivan (48.52) underlined his tag as Australia’s premier sprinter and sealed a place on the plane for the Commonwealth Games in Delhi, winning gold.
But, Magnussen was far from disgraced, snaring a bronze following his 49.43.
D’Orsogna (49.35) separated the pair to collect second.
Meanwhile, marathon man Richard Bastable was named the Miedecke Motors junior sportsperson of the year (under 18).
The 17-year-old is heading to the ISF (International School Sport Federation) Cross-Country 2010 World Schools Championships in the Slovak Republic next month after finishing second in his age division, and eighth overall, at the Australian All Schools U18 Cross-Country Championships.
The Stihl Shop Port Macquarie Peter’s Mower Centre junior sportsperson of the year (under 12) went to all-rounder Megan Cooper.
In October, she captured the national youth (11 years and under) female difficulty championship as well as the Oceania youth (D female) climbing championship.
The ResiSales.com.au open team was the pairing of rowers Elizabeth Levido and James Young, who won gold in the mixed D double, mixed C quad and mixed E quad events at the Australian Masters, as well as bronze in the mixed A-B quad.
Tacking Point SLSC under nine beach relay unit, consisting of Joshua Dowrick, Finn Black, Isaac Lawrence, Ryan Carroll and Lachlan Myers, took home the Country Energy junior team category.
The boys picked up silver at the NSW Surf Life Saving Championships, Tacking Point’s first group to win a state team medal since 1983.
The Port Family Practice top veteran was rower Rob Hopley, who collected a gold (men’s eight) and three silver (men’s double, men’s quad, men’s coxed eight) at the World Masters Games, in Sydney.
The world’s best wheelchair rugby player Ryley Batt lifted the Donovan Oates Hannaford Lawyers sportsperson with a disability trophy.
Taking the court for Australia in the Oceania Championships, against the likes of Canada, Japan, New Zealand and Korea, the national team prevailed as Batt collected another MVP award.
Hastings Valley Netball Association life member Denise Hillier was a deserving winner of the Newcastle Permanent services to sport section.
Her assistance to the organisation has spanned more than 20 years.
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