Three local sports stars were recently recognised at the Bendigo Academy of Sport annual presentation evening.
Chloe Langley was awarded as athlete of the year in netball, Alex Murphy received the coach’s encouragement award in clay target shooting and Liam Richardson won the individual athlete of the year as well as being the overall winner of the Gary Tierney memorial scholarship athlete of the year.
The Bendigo Academy of Sport annual presentation evening celebrated the successes of the athletes and coaches for the 2017/2018 year.
The athlete of the year, Liam Richardson, was born with minor cerebral palsy which effects his left leg, but that doesn’t stop him from working hard to achieve his dreams. Liam represented Australia at the World Para Junior Championships in August 2017 in Switzerland in the combined T35-38 100m and 200m sprint events. In the 100m event Liam placed first in the T35 category and 11th overall. Liam also placed first in T35 in the 200m event and 9th overall. Liam is currently ranked number two in the World Juniors for 100m and 200m. This year Liam also competed in the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney and placed first in the 100m event and second in the 200m event. He also participated in the Victorian Junior Athletics Championships in Melbourne and placed first in the 100m Under 20 Para event and achieved a personal best time.
Liam is the recipient of a Pierre de Coubertin Award, an international award given each year by the Victorian Olympic Council, which recognises secondary school students who are active participants in sport and display the Olympic ideals of fair play and sportsmanship.