Illawarra Sports Awards 2022: Illawarra Mercury People's Choice Award Shortlist Profiles

We've picked a shortlist of talented Illawarra sportspeople for you to vote for and whoever gains the most votes will be standing up there on the Fraternity Club stage on November 10.

It's a diverse, talented group that has thrilled and engaged us all as family, friends and fans this year.

From gold medals to world titles and extraordinary achievements on the Illawarra's sporting stage, the Mercury's sportsperson of the year people's choice award.

Here are the selected athletes:

Xavier Cooks (basketball)

Sydney Kings superstar in the NBL Cooks has risen to become one of the top basketball talents in the country.

Just a few years ago he was a relative unknown but has shone in the competition massively with regular season MVP honours very much likely for 2022, with many saying Cooks has the ability to go on and thrive in the NBA.

Kezie Apps and Sam Bremner (rugby league)

Apps was a crucial part of the team making another final series, despite falling short in the semi-finals against the eventual premiers the Knights.

As club captain for the Dragons she leads by example and it doesn't take long after being around the team to see that she has all the team's support behind her.

She has been named co-captain of the Jillaroos alongside Sam Bremner who plies her trade for the Roosters in the NRLW but is very much a local product.

Bremner has fought injuries and is the mother of two children, but made it clear that would not mean the end of her rugby league career.

Blake Govers and Flynn Ogilvie (hockey)

Govers won gold with the Hockeyroos in the Commonwealth Games at Birmingham this year and at 26 is still at the top of his game.

The NSW Pride player in Hockey One also won silver with the men's field hockey side at Tokyo 2020 last year.

Back again for the NSW Pride for 2022, Ogilvie will be looking to pick up where he left off from the last Hockey One season, where he was awarded player of the final when the Pride beat Brisbane.

It's been a busy year for Ogilvie, also apart of the gold medal winning side in Birmingham with Govers and also a silver medallist in Toyko.

Ali Day (surf lifesaving)

Day's original surfing club is Warilla-Barrick Point SLFC. He is a two-time series champion and six-time Coolangatta Gold champion.

He won the three major titles this year, the Coolangatta Gold, Ironman Series and national championship.

Caitlin Foord (football)

Shellharbour's Foord is one of the crucial members of the Matildas national team that are preparing for a home World Cup next year.

For her club football, she plies her trade with global powerhouse Arsenal in the English Women's Super League.

After making her debut as a teenager over 10 years ago, she has well and truly taken the world by storm.

Tinka Easton (judo)

Easton had a whirlwind 2022, making her Commonwealth Games debut in Birmingham this year where she absolutely shone, winning gold in the 52kg women's final.

She was primed for the event following competing at a number of European events in the lead up to the Games.

The star took up Judo at the age of 10 at Bushido Judo Club in the Shoalhaven Heads.

Sam Froling (basketball)

Local Hawks hero Froling was rewarded with his performances at the club with a new three-year deal which was signed in February of this year.

Standing at 2.13 metres tall, the former college player in the US is a force to be reckoned with in the NBL, having won gold with the Australian team at the Asia Cup.

Sam Goodman (boxing)

Albion Park's Goodman's current pro boxing record stands at 13-0-0 which just speaks for how hot this guy is right now in the sport.

This year he has had three wins, two unanimous decisions and one knockout.

At just 24, he is only just getting started.

Jasmine Greenwood (para swimming)

The 17-year-old has had a sensational 2022, winning gold in the women's 200m individual medley in Birmingham.

She won three gold medals at the World Para Swimming Championships in Portugal this year, along with a silver and two bronze medals.

Jonathan Goerlach (para triathlon)

The 39-year-old Nowra local won bronze at the Commonwealth Games this year.

He has a sensational career, representing Australia at the Tokyo Paralympics and would have been apart of the 2016 event in Rio but his category was not a medal event at that point.

Ben Hunt (rugby league)

The superstar halfback had a spectacular year in the NRL this season for the Dragons where he finished third in the Dally M standings.

Hunt was rewarded with his standout display with a new deal which will see him stay at the club for a couple more years.

Hunt was also a crucial part to the Maroons State of Origin success this year and has been picked to represent the Kangaroos at the World Cup.

Jessica Hull (athletics)

The Albion Park superstar has been going in leaps and bounds in her young career and 2022 was no different.

She is the current Australian record holder for both 1 500 and 5 000 metre events.

At the Commonwealth Games this year competed she finished eighth in the 1 500 metre final.

Emma McKeon (swimming)

If there's an athlete who can say 2022 has been their breakout year, it is probably Emma McKeon.

The 28-year-old won six golds, one silver and one bronze medal at the Games this year.

This backed up her four golds and three bronze medals in Tokyo last year.

Kerry Parker (horse racing)

Renown horse trainer Kerry Parker who bases out of Kembla Grange racecourse has had 350 wins in his career which spans almost 30 years.

In 2022 alone he has had 20+ events which he has had horses run in.

This he he secured the biggest win of his career with his horse "Think It Over" winning his second Group One being the Queen Elizabeth Stakes race over 2 000 metres at Royal Randwick.

Luke Pople (wheelchair basketball)

Pople was apart of history at this year's Games, winning gold with his team members in the 3x3 basketball event, the first time this category was played at that level.

A mainstay with the Roller Hawks, Pople continues to do extremely well in promoting the sport in the Illawarra and across Australia.

Alex Volkanovski (mixed martial arts)

'Volk' as he is known is a world-renown name not just in mixed martial arts but it global sport.

The Windang local enjoyed a sensational 2022, beating rival Max Holloway in July.

'The Great' is now the back up fighter up a division at UFC 280 in a lightweight fight in Abu Dhabi after suffering a broken hand in the fight against Holloway.

He has recorded 25 wins in his professional career.

Adam Zampa (cricket)

An extremely talented leg-spinner, Zampa celebrated his 100^th ODI wicket against Pakistan earlier this year.

Just last month he took his first five wicket haul in ODI against New Zealand.

He will be a crucial member in Australia's T20 World Cup team which begins this month.

Thursday, November 10

Fraternity Club

For tickets and to check out the awards categories, head to https://events.humanitix.com/illawarra-sports-awards

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