EIGHT awards were presented at the annual Ipswich Sports Awards on Friday night and eight $2,000 cheques were presented to the winning individuals and organisations.

The achievements Ipswich’s Olympians and Paralympians who recently returned from the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games were also acknowledged.

Mayor Teresa Harding said this year’s Ipswich Sport Awards was a return to pre Covid celebrations.

“This year’s event returned bigger and better than ever, with entries from across 25 different sports, ranging from swimming to bodybuilding and karting.

“Congratulations to the eight amazing award winners as well as the many nominees who are committed to ensuring our local sporting landscape is fun, inclusive and continues to grow.

 “It was an honour to acknowledge the extraordinary efforts of our local Olympic and Paralympic athletes following their successes at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“Collectively, our local Olympians and Paralympians brought home two gold, one silver and three bronze medals and have inspired our next generation of sporting heroes for the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”

Sports Awards winners were:

• Official of the Year – Jordan Harton (Basketball)

• Volunteer of the Year - Scott Morrison (Football)

• Coach of the Year – Sara Rogers (Hockey)

• Masters Sportsperson of the Year – Lisa Blackburn (Bodybuilding)

• Sporting Organisation of the Year – Ipswich Kart Club

• Team of the Year – Ipswich Hockey Women’s Masters Team #1

• Junior Sportsperson Award – Ella Ramsay (Swimming)

• Senior Sportsperson Award – Jude Thomas (Long distance running)

• Tokyo 2020 Olympians and Paralympians - swimmers Mollie O’Callaghan and Leah Neale, tennis champion Ash Barty, weightlifter Erika Yamasaki, boxer Paulo Aokuso, para-canoeist Susan Seipel and para-archer Taymon Kenton-Smith.