A new name will be placed on the Ballarat Sportsperson of the Year honour roll on Wednesday night.
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This year’s five nominees have never won the award, which has been taken home by some of the region’s finest performers.
Table tennis star Rory Carroll, eight ball gun Kolbe Poole, top cricketer Matt Short, Olympic race walker Rachel Tallent and elite rower Katrina Werry are the finalists for the honour.
Tallent’s brother, champion race walker Jared, long distance runner Steve Moneghetti and trap shooter Russell Mark are the equal most recipients of the Ballarat Sportsperson of the Year award.
All three have won it on six separate occasions.
Jared Tallent won it last year, but is not a finalist this time around.
All of this year’s nominees boast impressive achievements during 2017.
Matt Short made a century against England in a tour match and also represented the Melbourne Renegades in the Big Bash League.
Werry was part of Australia’s women’s fours crew that claimed victory at the World Rowing Championships in Sarasota, Florida, while Rachel Talent won selection in Australia’s team for the world championships. She eventually pulled out of the titles due to injury.
Carroll claimed a bronze medal at the Para Table Tennis World Championships in Slovakia and Poole held a world ranking of four and Australian ranking of number one.
Wednesday night’s function – run by the Ballarat Sportsmen’s Club – will include the presentation of a number of other awards.
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) will be handed out at the Ballarat Golf Club.
Former Australian cricketer Kerry O’Keeffe is the night’s special guest.
O’Keeffe played 24 Tests for his country.