Nominations for Gippsland Sports Academy Awards

Tim Forsyth Award for Sporting Excellence

J. Saunders - Won best swimmer for his age group at Vic titles for 6th year in a row.
    Won top swimmer award at Country Champs and Gippsland Champs for
second year in a row.
    Won Gold and Bronze at Australian Age Group titles in Brisbane for
200 Breast and IM respectively.
 

J. Meyer - Premiere age group breaststroker in Australia with wins at
Trans Tasman series, Victorian Titles, Country and
       Gippsland Champs in 100 and 200m distances.
       Gold in 100m at Australian age Titles in new Vic record breaking
previous time which stood since 1986.
       Silver in 200m at same meet(missed gold by .14), also Vic record.
       Will be picked in Australian Age Group team to attend the World
Youth Championships in Mexico in July 2008.
 

David Drane Encouragement Award - Kirsten Lieshout

 

Won Gold in 100m Breast at Victorian Titles and Country Champs, 100 and
200 at Gippsland Champs. Best time to date was 1.16.04.

At Australian age Titles made final seeded third with time of 1.14.63. In final swam 1.12.81 and achieved Silver medal.Improved time by over 3.2 seconds. In 200 reduced time from 2.48.6 to 2.42.04 and finished 6th in Australia in her age group.

Now has the fastest times ever swum by a Gippsland female in 100 and 200 Breaststroke.
 

Phil Shelley Sports Development Award  - Robert Moore 

 

In Dec 2007, Rob selected 4 swimmers from the GAS/GSI Target Squad who showed potential to attend a camp at the AIS along with Gippsland Sports Academy swimmers. Rob's ability to see potential can be traced back to when he invited Ashley Delaney along to swim training when he was a short, chubby boy working at a local fast food outlet. Ashley Delaney, identified and coached by Rob, is now training with the AIS and one is of Australia's Beijing hopefuls. Rob has demonstrated his commitment as a swimming coach since the inception of the Academy, first coming on board with a sponsoring business and continuing as a satellite coach to this day. Over the years he has attended National Championships, videoed swimmers to give them feedback after their races, mentored swimmers from other clubs not just his own and continues to pass on his knowledge and experience.

 

With Jeremy Meyer taking out the Tim Forsyth Sporting Excellence Award on the night, swimming and Gippsland were well represented.