Four time world champion and world record holder Haylee Redfern has been named our Sportsperson of the Year in the 50th year of the SOYA awards.
Haylee brought home four gold medals, one silver and one bronze from her six events at the WKSF kettlebell world championships in Poland last year.
She has qualified - and is now preparing for - this year's championships in Italy less than 90 days away.
But it's no exaggeration to say those achievements are hard-won for the 41-year-old mum of two and businesswoman.
Accepting the Forbes Advocate Sportsperson of the Year trophy on Saturday night, Haylee shared how her success has only come through determination and adaptation.
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From athletics and equestrian as a junior, Haylee has always been a competitive sportsperson and as an adult she was competing in weightlifting and crossfit when she was diagnosed with a degenerative bone disorder in the middle ear.
Otosclerosis, accelerated by pregnancy, left her about 90 per cent deaf in one ear but also gave her debilitating vertigo.
"Rather than giving up on something that I absolutely loved I found a way around it and I altered the sport and took up kettlebell," Haylee said.
"Changing my training - being an adaptive athlete I suppose - has led me to be a four-time world champion."
With her sights set on another world championship in Italy in a couple of months, her message to Forbes' aspiring sports people was simple.
"Never give up on anything," Haylee said, thanking those who nominated her and selected her for the award.
It was the resounding message of the night as guest speaker Justin Roylance shared footage of the superboat crash that destroyed his jet boat just weeks out from the world championships earlier this year.
He also shared the footage of the lap - on that same track - that then secured third place in the world championship series.
Between the two mere minutes of footage Justin and the Outlaw V8 Superboat team had built a new boat in record time and made the deicision to get into that boat and drive it, flat out, past that same point where they'd flown from the track at 107km/hr.
Both Justin, the driver, and his daughter Macey who'd been navigating that day were okay - their full story can be read on the Advocate's website and in our February 6 edition.
On Saturday night, Justin said there was so much more to sport than silverware.
"It's not just the accolades: it's the camaraderie; it's shaking the hands of your peers and toughest competitors; looking after your mates when their day doesn't go as planned," he said.
"It's not just about being a graceful winner, but being a graceful loser.
"It's being a coach, a volunteer, setting up and packing up, working in the canteen, carrying your weight and inspiring others to do the same, be a leader, listen and don't just hear.
"Be there for your community and probably most importantly support your friends and your family as they are your biggest supporters."
Also sending his congratulations and encouragements to SOYA nominees on Saturday night was Nedd Brockmann, Forbes-born ultramarathon runner who's devoted the past few years to raising funds for homelessness charity through his incredible efforts.
Nedd donated copies of his two books: Showing Up: Get comfortable being uncomfortable; and Fire Up: Live large, do tough stuff and give back; to each of the award recipients.
"It's amazing to see so many people doing amazing things in the community and in sport," he said in a video message.
"You, the young people there especially: keep doing your sport, keep fighting, keep showing up, keep working up coz you never know where it might take you.
"Just to be announced as a nominee tonight is extremely amazing so you should all be excited, grateful and proud of yourselves."
Justin Roylance encouraged everyone to start considering and making nominations for the 2025 awards, which will be hosted in early 2026.
He congratulated and thanked the small team of volunteers who run the Sportsperson of the Year Association and the annual awards.
"This is a team that volunteers tirelessly every year to put this on, your efforts for SOYA does not go unnoticed," he said.
"50 years is a massive achievement so thank you."
Nominations are available on the SOYA facebook page or from committee members.
Winners of each category were:
Sportsperson of the Year runner up: Claire Bayley (squash, netball)
Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Andrew Little (dragway car racing)
Junior Sportsperson of the Year: Annabelle Teague (lawn bowls)
Team of the Year: Forbes Foxes (soccer)
All Round Sports Achiever: Leo Dwyer
Administration Award: Sheryn Davie (ranch sorting and team penning, jockey club)
Coach / trainer of the Year: Peter Clifton (tennis)
Umpire / referee / official of the Year: Andrew Glasson (cricket)
President's Award: Harper Piggott (soccer)
Terry Wade Award: Kerry and the late Ian Bown
Phillip Adams Award: Eli Bowden-Boland (all rounder)
Merit awards: Hayden Duggan, Lochie Duggan, Snow Hodder, Holly Hope-Hodgetts, Sage King, Mason Redfern, Max Ridge
School awards: Georgia Pengilly (Bedgerabong), Isabelle Brown (Forbes High School), Pearl Karaitiana (Forbes North), Leo Dwyer (Forbes Public) and Eli Bowden-Boland (St Laurence's).
There are so many outstanding achievements represented on this list that award recipients will be featured in coming editions of The Advocate.
