Randwick City is living up to its name as the ‘sports coast’ with seven local sporting stars honoured at the annual Randwick City Sports Awards last night, 27 October 2016, recognising their excellence, commitment and achievement in sport.

The annual Sports Awards showcases Randwick City’s next generation of sporting stars as well as celebrating the high profile sporting stars who have grown up and lived in the area. 

The winners are: 

• Randwick City Junior Sports Award – Male and Female categories
  • Alexandra Spaska, Judo
  • Dylan Katz, Judo

• Bradley Matthews Memorial Award for Sporting Excellence
  • William Harrison, Rugby Union and Surf Life Saver

• Randwick City Council Hall of Sporting Champions Inductees
  • Heather Hawkins, Champion Marathon Runner
  • Robert Dwyer AM, Rugby Union Legend

• Contribution to Sport in the Local Area
  • Stephen Hoiles, Rugby Union
  • Terence Reid, Rugby Union

Some of Randwick City’s celebrity sporting stars were also in attendance, with a number of Olympians and Paralympians from the 2016 Rio Olympics and Paralympics on hand to congratulate the winners on their achievements, including Andrew Edmondson (Paralympian and Gold Medallist in Rugby), Tamsin Colley (Paralympian Athletics) and Johnno Cotterill (Olympian Water Polo).

Mayor of Randwick, Noel D’Souza, congratulated all the winners and finalists on representing Randwick City’s sporting prowess.

“With so many high achievers in the community, it was difficult to narrow down the finalists to choose a winner.  But in my eyes, they are all winners and I congratulate each of them on their achievements.

“Sport has a wonderful way of bring people together to make a positive contribution to our community.  The annual Sports Awards encourages us all to give it a go and be the best we can be,” said Mayor D’Souza.

The 2016 Sports Awards are proudly hosted by Randwick City Council and sponsored by Amart Sports Randwick.

Biographies of winners:

Alexandra Spaska, Randwick City Junior Sports Award - Female Winner

Alexandra is a member of the UNSW Judo Club and has achieved outstanding results in 2015 and 2016. 

She was 1st in the NSW Kyu International Open Junior competition, 1st in the NSW Championships, 2nd in the Sydney International Open competition, 3rd in both Central Coast and the ACT and in June 2016 was the winner of the Australian Junior Championships and is the National Champion in the Junior Girls 36kgs Division. 

Dylan Katz, Randwick City Junior Sports Award - Male Winner

Dylan is a member of the UNSW Judo Club and in the last 12 months, Dylan has been undefeated in all fights, making him Judo Junior Boy of the Year for NSW. 

He has won gold and 1^st place in a number of competitions including Sydney International, ACT International Open, NSW State Championships, Central Coast Open Championship and 1st in the Australian Championships Senior Boys U36kg. 

William Harrison, Bradley Matthews Memorial Award for Sporting Excellence Winner

William is a talented all-rounder who has managed to perform at an elite level in a multitude of sports despite being at an age where most athletes would concentrate on one chosen sport.

In Surf Life Saving, he has won silver medals in both State and National Levels representing Coogee Surf Life Saving Club.  William is currently the 2016 Coogee SLSC Club Champion in both Beach Sprints and Flags.

In Rugby Union, William has been selected for multiple representative teams at School, District, Zone, Sydney, NSW and culminating in Australian Schoolboy selection. 

William has been selected in the 7’s Waratah Rugby Squad and at just aged 17 has a bright sporting future ahead.

Heather Hawkins, Inductee to Randwick City Council Hall of Sporting Champions

Heather commenced running in 2012 post ovarian cancer, after five years in remission.  With no running background, Heather took on the world on Marathons, where she   won the female division of the 2015 North Pole Marathon.  Her recent achievements include 3rd in the Centennial Park 100km ultra marathon. 

Heather’s achievements include being 3^rd in the Centennial Park 100km Ultra Marathon and participating in the World Marathon Challenge in 2016, completing seven marathons in seven Days in seven Countries. 

Robert Dwyer AM, Inductee to Randwick City Council Hall of Sporting Champions

Robert played 347 club games for Randwick between 1960 and 1976.  From 1977 to 1981 and again between 1984 to 1987, he was appointed Club and First Grade Coach and was appointed Australian Coach 1982 to 1983 and again in 1988 to1995.

Having won the World Cup in 1991, Robert’s success was due to highly organised preparation and coaching skills. 

Stephen Hoiles, Contribution to Sport in the Local Area

Stephen played over 98 club games for Randwick Rugby from 2002 to 2009.  Stephen has played for NSW and ACT, having played in 16 Test Matches.  In 2007, Stephen became a member of the Australian World Cup Squad and played for the winning NSW Super Rugby Team in 2014.

Terence Reid, Contribution to Sport in the Local Area

Terence played over 150 games from 1953 to 1962 for the Randwick Rugby Club with 103 games for First Grade.  Terence toured South Africa in 1961 with the Wallabies and in his retirement, coached several successful teams including the Australian Army Team.  In 2001, Terence became a life member of the Randwick Club.