Grants success for 43 Wide Bay sporting champions
Federal Member for Wide Bay and Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives Llew O’Brien today congratulated 43 Wide Bay 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 communities, and I am pleased that so many of our outstanding young sportsmen and women are receiving this support through the latest round of the Local Sporting Champions program,” Mr O’Brien said.
“Our junior sportspeople participate in a diverse range of sports, they come from every community, and despite the current challenges of COVID-19, they are all dedicated to their training so they can achieve their sporting goals.
“Participating in these events can be quite expensive, especially where long-distance travel or inter-state quarantine is required, so this funding will help to ease that pressure on local families, ensure our sporting champions can represent Wide Bay with pride, and progress in their chosen sport.”
The grants of between $550 and $750 will be provided through the Liberal and Nationals Government’s Local Sporting Champions grants program which supports young sportsmen and women between the ages of 12 and 18, to help meet the costs of participating in sporting events, including travel, equipment, uniforms and accommodation.
The following athletes have been successful:
| Applicant | Suburb | Sport | Competition |
| Ella Reynolds | Sunrise Beach | Swimming | 2021 Australian Age Swimming Championships |
| Rylee Gralike | Curra | Rugby Union | Queensland State Championship |
| Kilian Carrel | Noosa Heads | Swimming | 2021 Australian Age Swimming Championships |
| Tane Bentley | Cooloola Cove | Rugby Union | Queenland Championships |
| Alana Castle | Sunrise Beach | Weightlifting | Australian Weightlifting Federation Youth & U15 National Championships |
| Jayah MacDonald | Gympie | Football (Soccer) | Wide Bay School Sport 2021 State Championship |
| Taj Marsh | Sunrise Beach | Weightlifting | Australian Weightlifting Federation Youth & U15 National Championships |
| Kaiya Marsh | Sunrise Beach | Weightlifting | Australian Weightlifting Federation Youth & U15 National Championships |
| Amelia Chambers | Gympie | Rugby Union | State Championships Queensland |
| Dalton Morrison | Maryborough | Volleyball | Australian Youth Beach Volleyball Championships |
| Molly Byrne | Gympie | Rugby Union | Wide Bay School Sport 2021 State Championship |
| Nicholas Butler | Gympie | Rugby Union | Queensland State Carnival |
| Connor Innis | Tamaree | Hockey | Queensland School Sports Hockey Championships |
| Kirralee Mcculloch | Tinana | Hockey | Queensland State School Championships |
| Ethan Brown | Veteran | Rugby Union | Wide Bay School Sport State Championship |
| Benjamin Redmond | Maryborough | Hockey | Queensland School Sports Hockey Championships |
| Ava O’Connell | Tinana | Football (Soccer) | Queensland School Sport Football Championships |
| Bailey Avnell | Gympie | Volleyball | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Volleyball |
| Jett O’Brien | Gympie | Hockey | Queensland School Sports Hockey Championships |
| Tom Bergemann | Glenwood | Volleyball | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Volleyball |
| Shakira Heidenreich | Maryborough | Football (Soccer) | Queensland School Sport Football Championships |
| Jordyn Edwards | Maryborough | Volleyball | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Volleyball |
| Joshua Wilton | Gympie | Touch Football | Queensland School Sport Touch Football Championships |
| Philip Scougall | Island Plantation | Hockey | Queensland U13 Hockey Championships |
| Telecia Tame | Curra | Volleyball | 16 – 19 Open Volleyball State Championship |
| Sophie Lusk | Maryborough West | Football (Soccer) | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Football |
| Mitchell Peterson | Noosaville | Surfing | Queensland State Sport Surfing Championships |
| William Peterson | Noosaville | Surfing | Queensland School Sport Surfing State Championship |
| Lachlan Britten | Cooroy | Touch Football | Queensland School Sport State Championship |
| Jaime Carberry | Sunrise Beach | Athletics | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Cross Country |
| Jakkris Mankaew | Canina | Hockey | Junior State Championships |
| Landen Smales | Peregian Beach | Surfing | Australian Surf Championships |
| Kaiden Smales | Peregian Beach | Surfing | Australian Surf Championships |
| Bodhi Meyers | Sunshine Beach | Basketball | Queensland Under 14 Boys State Championships |
| Frederick Back | Federal | Rugby Union | State Championships |
| Hamish Chart | Cooroibah | Water Polo | 14U Inter State Challenge |
| Toby Brewer | Tinana | Hockey | Junior State Championships |
| Smith Connors | Marcus Beach | Water Polo | Water Polo U15 National Championships |
| Hunter Murdoch | Oakhurst | Basketball | Queensland School Sport State Championship – Basketball |
| Ava Guthrie | Peregian Beach | Water Polo | 14 years Australian Waterpolo Nationals |
| Emma Duffey | Gympie | Pony Club | PCAQ State Dressage, Combined Training and Horse Trials Championships |
| Lily Fraser | Maryborough | Tennis | Queensland School Sport State Championship Tennis 10-12 Years |
| Luke Helmstedt | Granville | Hockey | Junior State Championships |
“There were 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 each applicants demonstrated,” Mr O’Brien said.
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.
