Logan celebrates 2024’s shining sports stars

Published: 31st October 2024

The city’s champion athletes, off-field supporters and events were recognised at the Griffith University City of Logan Sports Awards gala dinner at the Logan Entertainment Centre on Saturday, November 2.

Camryn – who rose through the ranks at Jimboomba Little Athletics Club and attended Park Ridge State High School – was named as the Athlete of the Year and Overall Athlete of the Year.

The 24-year-old put injury behind her to make her senior Australian debut last year and secured a spot in the Australian Olympic team in Paris this year.

She was one of two athletes to represent Australia for the first time in 16 years in the heptathlon and finished in 19th place.

Mayor Jon Raven said the sporting night of nights was a way for Council to shine a spotlight on the amazing achievements in local sport over the past year.

“Sport isn’t all about the superstars who make it big on the international stage,” Cr Raven said.

“We want to celebrate the unsung heroes who work behind the scenes in many different sports to support local athletes as coaches and administrators.

“We are absolutely bursting with talented athletes and were proud to see 14 people with Logan connections compete at the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games in Paris.

“Their efforts were truly inspiring for the next generation of athletes who might be eyeing off competing at the 2032 Games here in South East Queensland.

“Sport helps build stronger, healthier and happier communities and teaches so many valuable skills like teamwork and collaboration.”

The awards cover the period from July 1, 2023 to June 30, 2024.

The full list of winners is:

Category

Winner

Sport

Summary of achievements

Athlete of the Year

Camryn Newton-Smith

Greenbank

Heptathlon

Camryn, 24, put injury behind her to make her senior Australian debut last year to win the national and Oceania titles, achieving the Australian all-time number six spot. This led to her being chosen for the Australian Olympic team in Paris this year.

Young Athlete of the Year

Jake Tysoe

Boronia Heights

Swimming

Jake, 16, clocks more than 50km each week in the water during an eight session training program. The Rackley Swim Team member has represented both Queensland and Australia in the pool and is the Oceania Open Champion in the 200 butterfly and the Australian Age Champion - 16 years in the 100 and 200 butterfly events.

Athlete with a Disability of the Year

Andre Rivett

Woodridge

Discus/shotput (Para Athletics)

Over many years Andre has competed for Australia on an international level. Andre was the first down syndrome (F21) person to represent Australia in athletics in 2016, competing as a F20 athlete before the F21 classification was approved. He was also the first to compete at the world championship level winning two medals. Andrew also won gold in discus and shotput the last three years at the Queensland Para State Championships.

Master Athlete of the Year

Marion Hermitage

Daisy Hill

Triathlon

Marion is part of the Multisport Gold club affiliated with Triathlon Australia. The masters athlete has won multiple national qualifiers in the last year, leading her to the Global Ironman Triathlon 10.3 World Championship in Lahti, Finland where she achieved 8th place.

Overall Athlete of the Year

Camryn Newton-Smith

Greenbank

Heptathlon

In 2023-24 Camryn has produced an outstanding series of performances to win the national and Oceania titles achieving the Australian all-time number six spot.

Sports Administrator of the Year

Brendon Stanton

Kingston

Multicultural sports (various)

Brendon is the Multicultural Sports Club’s (MCS) Sport and Recreation Development Coordinator. MSC provides free and inexpensive programs at Gould Adams Park for children, youth and adults in Logan and surrounding areas specially focused on engaging those from Culturally and

Linguistically Diverse backgrounds who are less likely to access mainstream sporting clubs. Brendon has worked with MSC for the last seven years.

Sports Coach of the Year

Chris Johnstone

Munruben

Muay Thai

Chris has trained multiple world, national and state champions within the sport of Muay Thai. This is a feat which few coaches have achieved in Australian combat sports Five of his fighters won world titles with one individual winning four separate titles.

Sports Official of the Year

Cheryl Jenkins

Bethania

Tennis

Cheryl has led the way for female tennis officials juggling being a wife and mother while officiating at the highest international level and being an officiating educator within Australia and internationally. Cheryl is the first female in Australia appointed as the Australian Open Chief Umpire and only the third female internationally to hold the position at the grand slam level. More recently, Cheryl was appointed to the role of Assistant Chief Umpire by the International Tennis Federation at the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.

Sports Organisation of the Year

Logan Basketball

based at Cornubia Park Sports Centre

Basketball

For the first time in its history Logan Basketball has won more than two state titles in the same year with Logan Thunder U18 girls, U16 Boys, U16 Girls and U14 Girls all winning state titles as the best teams in Queensland for their respective age groups.

The organisation set an all-time high record in use of the venue, as well as successfully being awarded an Infrastructure Grant Funding. 

Sports Team of the Year

Logan Thunder U14 Girls

based at Cornubia Park Sports Centre

Basketball

The team qualified in 2023 to attend the Basketball Australia National Club Championships as part of the most successful year in Logan Basketball’s history, winning a bronze medal. The team continued to develop and improve leading them to National and State representation.

Sports Event of the Year

U16 Boys Basketball

Queensland State Championships

based at Cornubia Park Sports Centre

Basketball

Logan Basketball Hosted the Basketball Queensland U16 Boys State Championships across three City of Logan venues - Cornubia, Mount Warren Park and Logan Metro. The event featured a record number of teams generating significant return for the Logan economy and showcasing the city statewide. More than 3000 people were recorded as travelling into the local area.

Triple M breakfast co-host Margaux Parker was the event MC with Jessica Gallagher as the guest speaker.

Jessica is an Australian athlete and Paralympic alpine skier, track and field athlete, tandem cyclist and rower.

Now classified as legally blind, Jessica was Australia's second female Winter Paralympian and the first Australian woman to win a medal at the Winter Paralympics at the 2010 Vancouver Games. 

For more information, visit logan.qld.gov.au/sportsawards