Race walker Jared Tallent looms as a huge chance to add another Ballarat Sportsperson of the Year award to his bulging trophy cabinet.
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Tallent is already a five-time recipient of the honour and will be right in contention again after a stellar 2016.
The 32-year-old’s campaign was highlighted by a silver medal at the Rio Olympic Games and gold at the IAAF World Race Walking Cup in Italy.
Champion horse trainer Darren Weir has been granted a place in the group of eight nominees and will have certainly come into serious consideration by the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club judges.
Weir’s staggering 2015-16 racing campaign saw him set a new Commonwealth and Australian record for most winners by a trainer in a season.
His 348 wins eclipsed the previous record held by John Hawkes.
Weir is looking to take the award from jockey Michelle Payne, who was named Ballarat’s Sportsperson of the Year for 2015. This came after her Melbourne Cup-winning ride aboard Prince of Penzance.
That horse was trained by Weir, with Payne becoming the first female hoop to take out the nation’s greatest race.
Tallent’s sister Rachel – who made her Olympic debut last year – is also a nominee, as is a contingent of the city’s eight-ball stars. These include Matthew Curwood, Jake McCartney and Kolbe Poole, who have recently enjoyed success on the world stage.
Javelin star Kathryn Mitchell and table tennis ace Rory Carroll round out the field of eight contenders.
The Mackenzie Award (for a sporting administrator), the Wunhym Trophy (for a young sports star), the Hollioake Medallion (for excellence in team sports) and the Widmer Award (for coaches, mentors and trainers) are other honours to be bestowed on Wednesday night at the Ballarat Golf Club.
Retired sprinter Melinda Gainsford-Taylor is the special guest for the dinner.
Gainsford-Taylor represented Australia at three Olympic Games, including an appearance at Sydney in 2000, where she was captain of the team.
The 45-year-old will host a special athletics clinic at the Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre, Llanberris Reserve, on Wednesday afternoon.
- Full nominee achievements at thecourier.com.au