Congratulations to 24 Wide Bay sporting champions
Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien today congratulated 24 local sports stars who will receive grants to help them participate in state and national competitions.
“Sports are an integral part of life in Wide Bay, and I am pleased that our outstanding young sportsmen and women are receiving this support through the Local Sporting Champions program to represent our region,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Wide Bay’s sporting champions participate in a diverse range of sports, they come from every community, and these grants help them meet the costs of competing in state and national championships which can be quite high where long-distance travel and accommodation is required,” Mr O’Brien said.
“This funding will help to ease that pressure on local families, and help our young athletes participate fully and achieve their sporting goals.”
The following young sportsmen and women will each receive a grant of $550 or $650, to the total value of $13,700, through the Liberal and Nationals Government’s Local Sporting Champions grants program which supports participants aged 12 to 18 to help meet the costs of participating in sporting events, including travel, equipment, uniforms and accommodation.
| Name | Suburb | Sport | Competition |
| Chloe Jensen | Maryborough | Basketball | QLD U18 State Championships |
| Matthew Town | Oakhurst | Basketball | Qld State Championship |
| Gaje Helleur | Maryborough | Basketball | Queensland State Basketball Championship |
| Lola Gibbs-Beal | Noosaville | Surf Lifesaving | Queensland State Youth Championships |
| Samara Dryden | Peregian Beach | Golf | Queensland School Sport State Championships |
| Olive Payne | Doonan | Athletics | QLD State Little Athletics Championships |
| Diarmid Chappell | Oakhurst | Hockey | Under 18 Men’s Hockey Nationals |
| Archie Shannon | Jones Hill | AFL | State AFL Championship 2021 |
| Oscar Rechtin | Noosa Heads | Swimming | Queensland School Sport State Swimming Championships |
| Meka Crick | Maryborough | Hockey | National U15 hockey championships |
| James Hangad | Noosa Heads | Surf Lifesaving | Queensland Youth State Championship |
| Riley Laycock | Tinana | Basketball | State Championships |
| Teagan McGowan | Tewantin | Swimming | 2021 Age swimming championships |
| Kilian Carrel | Noosa Heads | Swimming | Queensland School Sport Swimming State Championships |
| Harper Smales | Peregian Beach | Athletics | Little Athletics QLD State Championships |
“Sports are an integral part of life in Wide Bay and our region has a strong track record in producing skilled and successful sports champions, so I am pleased to help these 24 young sports stars represent our region with support through the Local Sporting Champions program,” Mr O’Brien said.
“There are always many applications for the Local Sporting Champions Program and only limited grants are available, but I am really impressed by the depth of talent, the level of commitment, and the ambition and pursuit of excellence, that the applicants demonstrated despite the ongoing uncertainty and challenges posed by COVID-19.”
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) is responsible for the management and coordination of the program, with grant recipients selected by a local panel. Applications for the grants can be made at any time, through the Australian Sports Commission’s website www.ausport.gov.au/champions.
For further information please contact Mr O’Brien’s office on 1300 301 968.
