The Oscars have been on Monday, which implies awards season in Hollywood is now over.
But there may be one closing awards present: The second annual Benny’s, recognising wonderful performances within the WA sporting realm.
Granted, this award’s present has a considerably inferior funds, so there might be no Ryan Gosling in a pink swimsuit main a rousing singalong to tender masculinity; Nic Naitanui was requested to host, however he was out of my value vary.
Best actor (finest male particular person athlete) – Matthew Ebden
Ebden is a staff participant in a person sport, however whereas it might be a technicality, the tennis ace continued his late-career bloom into among the finest doubles gamers on this planet. The northern suburbs product received his maiden Australian Open alongside Rohan Bopanna, and with it seized the world primary rating for the primary time in his profession.
Also nominated: Kurtis Marschall, Min Woo Lee, Jack Della Maddalena
Best actress (finest feminine particular person athlete) – Nina Kennedy
Winning a world championship and setting a brand new Australian report within the course of must do the trick. A yr after successful Commonwealth gold and a World Championship bronze, Kennedy cemented her spot as among the finest pole vaulters on this planet with an outstanding efficiency on the 2023 World Championships. The Bunbury product jumped 4.9m to maintain tempo with Katie Moon and with neither of them capable of be separated on countback, the pair shared the purpose medal. After the frustration of Tokyo, Paris is the world quantity two’s finest likelihood at Olympic gold.
Also nominated: Minjee Lee, Storm Hunter.
Best supporting actor (finest male athlete in a staff sport): Bryce Cotton.
Appreciate Cotton’s greatness when you can. It is superb to assume the Wildcats star needed to confront questions round his kind at the beginning of the season after scoring lower than 12 factors in 4 of his opening seven video games of the season. But from there, he went on a tear, reeling off match-winning performances with ease as he sauntered in the direction of a fourth MVP award, entrenching him as one of many NBL’s all-time greats.
Also nominated: Caleb Serong, Oscar Allen, Mitch Marsh.
Best supporting actress (finest feminine athlete in a staff sport)
Might simply must rename this the Sam Kerr trophy. Overcoming an injured calf, she gave Matildas followers – and certainly, the Australian sporting public at giant – a reminiscence they are going to always remember together with her unbelievable solo purpose within the Women’s World Cup semifinal. Kerr’s kind for Chelsea helped the Blues to a different WSL/FA Cup double, and sealed her second spot in voting for essentially the most prestigious particular person honour within the recreation, the Ballon d’Or.
Also nominated: Emma O’Driscoll, Courtney Bruce.
Best costume design (finest equipment/jersey) – Perth Scorchers’ Aboriginal shirt
I’ve mentioned it earlier than, and I’ll say it once more: I’m nonetheless but to search out an Aboriginal-inspired jersey I don’t like. Most of them are superior, and the Scorchers’ newest providing is not any totally different. The black prime half of the shirt offers strategy to an explosion of color and element, with a swan representing the Boorloo (Perth) space and contours and circles bringing to life the Derbal Yerrigan (Swan River).
Also nominated: Western Force residence jersey, West Coast and Fremantle First Nations jerseys.
Best director (coach) – Paul Burgess
Burgess may be the most effective coach most individuals have by no means heard of. Australia’s foremost pole vault whisperer, Burgess coaches Nina Kennedy and Kurtis Marschall out of the WA Athletics Stadium and WAIS. Under his tutelage over the previous yr, Kennedy has consolidated her spot as among the finest vaulters on this planet, whereas Marschall loved a breakout season, rising to as excessive as fourth within the males’s world rankings and claiming a bronze medal on the world championships.
Also nominated: Adam Voges, John Rillie.
Best image (finest second) – Mitch Marsh wins the Allan Border Medal
It was a consequence nobody would have thought potential this time final yr – hell, even earlier than the Ashes it seemed one million to 1. But Mitch Marsh’s comeback, and subsequent transformation into public darling, was accomplished when he took residence Australian cricket’s grandest particular person honour. In a speech which resonated with cricket followers across the nation, Marsh’s confession he’s “a bit fat at times and I love a beer” whereas choking again tears will stay lengthy within the reminiscence.
Also nominated: Bryce Cotton’s fourth MVP.
Outstanding efficiency by a forged (finest staff) – WA males’s cricket staff
It felt like a down season for the lads’s cricket staff – however that’s purely testomony to their sustained excellence over latest years. Adam Voges’ males could not have accomplished their Big Bash League title, however they did win their third successive Marsh One-Day Cup closing and have loved one other sturdy Sheffield Shield season.
Also nominated: Perth Wildcats, Perth Lynx, Perth Heat
Source: www.perthnow.com.au
