Awards celebrate the best in South Australian sport

The sport industry in South Australia joined together on Friday night for the 'KPMG Celebration of South Australian Sport'.

Held at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre, the event marked highlights of the South Australian sporting year with the Sport SA Awards and 'The Advertiser/Channel Seven Sports Star of the Year Awards' while acknowledging the State's sporting heritage with inductions into the 'KPMG South Australian Sport Hall of Fame'

Attended by 500 people and hosted by Jane Doyle and Bruce Abernethy from Channel Seven, the gala event also featured a special award for Services to Sport and the Media - presented to Margaret Ralston AM in recognition of her extraordinary contribution, generous support and passion for South Australian sport.

Acclaiming Ralston's award, Sport SA Chief Executive Jan Sutherland stated "sport has benefitted greatly from Marg's skills demonstrated in many diverse roles as official, sportswriter, advisor, advocate, board member, executive director, journalist, editor, patron and manager. Her approach and determination to succeed is an excellent example to all of us."

Bruce McAvaney OAM, skilfully interviewed The Advertiser/Channel Seven Sports Star of the Year, outstanding cyclist, Anna Meares discussing her outstanding year winning Olympic gold in London.

The 2012 Inductees into the KPMG South Australian Sport Hall of Fame (Rachael Sporn, Alex Tobin OAM, Neil Fuller OAM, Russell Ebert OAM and Charlie Walsh OAM) provided an insight into their outstanding careers when interviewed by Mark Soderstrom of Channel Seven.

Welcoming the Hall of Fame inductees, Sutherland added "we have now recognised our success since 2010 and can see the pathway for these winners of the 2012 Awards to the KPMG South Australian Sport Hall of Fame.

"The chronicles of sport will be preserved for future generations and be enjoyed by all our sporting fans. We are looking forward to a permanent home for the KPMG South Australian Sport Hall of Fame and the South Australian Sports Museum at the foot of the Bridge of Legends depicting our Hall of Fame Inductees and Legends across the River Torrens."

Congratulations to everyone and thank you for your commitment to South Australian sport.

Winners and runners up at the 2012 Sport SA Awards:

Volunteer Award – Sponsored by the Sunday Mail City Bay Fun Run Inc.
Winner: Russell Ritter, Equestrian 
Jan Leta Summers, Netball SA
Phil Bowen, Swimming SA

Official of the Year – Sponsored by Club One
Winner: Michael Eastaughffe, Rowing SA 
Peter Graham, Swimming SA
Phil Haines, Basketball SA

Administrator of the Year – Sponsored by OAMPS Insurance Brokers
Winner: Phil Sinnott, Squash SA
Cathy Leske, Croquet SA
Andrew Rumbelow, Volleyball SA

Richard Newman Primary School Sports Award – Sponsored by Department for Education & Child Development
Winner: Nikki Thompson, Athletics, Para Hills Primary School 
Jake Bastian, Swimming, Scotch College
Sam May Football, Tennis, Colonel Light Gardens Primary School

Secondary School Sports Award – Sponsored by Messenger Community News Limited
Winner: Emma Checker, Football, Immanuel College
Matthew Barnard, Diving, Immanuel College
Kyle Chalmers, Swimming, Immanuel College

Country Athlete of the Year – Sponsored by Sport SA
Heather Richards, Lower South East Bowling Association / Bowls SA 
Kieran Ashby, SA Cricket Association
Daniel Lee Lawlor, SA Men's Netball Association

Coach of the Year – Sponsored by Print Junction
Winner: Peter Bishop, SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre
Gareth Jones, Golf SA
Brenton Sanderson, Adelaide Crows

Event of the Year – Sponsored by Renniks
Winner: Tennis SA 2012 World Tennis Challenge 
Croquet SA 2012 World Championships
Swimming SA 2012 Energy Australia Swimming Championships

Winners and runners up at The Advertiser/Channel Seven Sports Star of the Year Awards

Team of the Year
Winner: South Australian and Australian Teams Pursuit Squad
Redbacks Cricket Team
Adelaide Football Club 

Junior Sport Star of the Year Awards 
Winner: Luke Saville
Anthony Murdaca

Elite Athlete with a Disability of the Year
Winner: Matthew Cowdrey
Felicity Johnson 
Kieran Modra

Tanya Denver Award for Endeavour and Sportsmanship 
Kieran Modra

Sports Star of the Year Award
Winner: Anna Meares 
Rohan Dennis
Glenn O'Shea 
Jack Bobridge
Annette Edmonson
Sam Willoughby
Chris Morgan
Matthew Cowdrey
James McRae
Kieran Modra
Felicity Johnson

Inductees to the KPMG South Australian Sport Hall of Fame
Basketball: Rachael Sporn
Football Federation: Alexander Tobin OAM
Paralympics: Neil Fuller OAM
SANFL: Russell Ebert OAM
Coach Charlie Walsh OAM

For more information go to www.sportsa.org.au/

Image: Anna Meares, 2012 South Australian Sports Star of the Year

18th October 2012 - NEW INDUCTEES FOR KPMG SOUTH AUSTRALIAN SPORT HALL OF FAME