School award winners thrilled

NATASHA MARTIN/ The Timaru Herald

CLASS ACT: Craighead tennis player Emily Fanning with her Aoraki Secondary School Sportswoman of the Year award.

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Craighead tennis player Emily Fanning and Timaru Boys' High School's all-rounder Tom Walsh took out the premier awards at the Aoraki Secondary Schools Sports Awards last night.

The Caroline Bay Hall was packed as talented sportspeople, across 47 codes from aerobics to skateboarding, accepted a wide variety of awards and were entertained by guest speaker and Sparc ambassador Cory Hutchings, a former world surf ironman champion.

The sought-after awards are extended to students from Mid-Canterbury, South Canterbury and North Otago schools.

The achievements of Walsh, named Aoraki Secondary Schools' Sportsman of the Year and Boys' All-Rounder, included attending the World Youth Games in Italy, where he finished sixth in the shotput with a personal best of 19.6m – a New Zealand under-18 record.

He also won an Athletics NZ Track and Field Championships title in both shotput and discus, again breaking a New Zealand record in the shotput.

A genuine all-rounder, Walsh was awarded the Mark Parker Memorial Trust Cricket Scholarship to Winchester College, England, and was a member of New Zealand Cricket's high performance development squad.

He was also a standout in the Timaru Boys' High School First XV and was named South Canterbury Rugby Union under-18 Player of the Year.

Fanning, named Sportswoman of the Year, also excelled on the international stage.

The 14-year-old earned her first WTA ranking point in the US$25,000 (NZ$34,700) tournament in South Australia recently and has dropped her world junior (under-18) ranking from 1148 in January to 225.

Fanning was also a member of the New Zealand under-16 Federation Cup team and the under-14 team that played in the Asia Oceania Qualifying Tournament in India, where she was unbeaten in her singles. Her achievements also saw her named 2009 South Canterbury Sports Awards Junior Sportsperson of the Year.

Fanning was unable to attend the ceremony as she was away playing tennis but Walsh was delighted to receive his awards.

The Girls' All- Rounder Award went to Mackenzie College's Brooke Candy. Roncalli's under-18 rowing squad, who won gold at the Maadi Cup regatta, were named Team of the Year.

Other awards recognised both students and teachers involved in sport.

The Contribution to Sport awards went to Sam Lurajud, from Mountainview, and Rachel Richards, of Roncalli. Annabel Gilchrist, from Mountainview, took out the Fair Play Award.

Ashburton College teacher Trevor Cochrane took out the award for longevity of service.

Geraldine's Kate Martin was recognised for her service within the 12-month period.

The umpires and referees awards went to Ashburton's Georgia Robertson and Leon Demetriades from Timaru Boys' High School.

The ceremony also recognised the 97 students who had won a national title or been placed during the year. It was the 11th year the awards have been held.