The London Olympics silver medallist is in line for his fourth Sportsperson of the Year title, his third in a row, at a Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club dinner at the Ballarat Lodge in Mt Clear. 

Thirteen finalists are in the running for the title of the 2012 Ballarat Sportsperson of the Year.

 They include fellow track competitors Collis Birmingham and Matt Wiltshire, in addition to a fly fisherman, basketballer, beach volleyball player, martial artist and wheelchair rugby player among the elite athletes nominated for the main prize.

Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club president Craig Schepis said it would be an outstanding achievement for Tallent if he was to claim his fourth Sportsperson of the Year award, the number of finalists illustrating just how tough his competition was this time.

“It shows the number of fine performances this year,” Schepis said.

 “It is also because it was an Olympic year.

“It is a larger number of finalists than most years.

“There is a broad range of sports with representation around Ballarat and is an indicator of the number of elite sports and sportspeople in the region.”

Birmingham also competed at the 2012 Olympics, and is ranked number one in Australia in 3000m, 5000, 10,000m and the half marathon.

Wiltshire, meanwhile, earned his nomination on the strength of winning Australia’s most prestigious professional foot race, in addition to other outstanding results at gift meetings across the state.

There were four first-time nominees in 2012.

They were Wiltshire, fly fisherman Luke Barby, basketballer Anthony Fisher, and orienteering competitor Aislinn Prendergast.

Rounding out the nominees, from an extraordinarily diverse selection of sports, were Greg Smith (wheelchair rugby), Patrick Shaw (cycling), Tara Pilven (badminton), Kathryn Mitchell (javelin), James Marburg (rowing), Tamsin Hinchley (beach volleyball) and Shannyn Johnstone-Ward (karate). 

Three other awards will also be presented: 

•Ballarat Junior Sportsperson of the Year (The Wunhym Trophy)

• The Hollioake Medallion for the team or team player of the year.

• The Mackenzie Award for the sports administrator of the year. 

The guest speaker is popular former Geelong footballer Billy Brownless.

Brownless played 198 games and kicked 441 goals for the Cats, putting him third on Geelong’s all-time goal kicking list, behind Gary Ablett and Doug Wade.

gavin.mcgrath@fairfaxmedia.com.au