Standout athletes select themselves

DUAL WINNER: Jackie Gowler claimed the Wanganui Secondary Schools Senior Sportswoman of the Year and the Senior Team of the Year title with rowing partner Georgia Nugent-O'Leary (partly obscured).

Winners of major categories in the Wanganui Secondary Schools Sports Awards virtually selected themselves with standout individual and team performances through the year.

During the official ceremony hosted by Wanganui Collegiate School yesterday, runner Geordie Beamish claimed the Senior Sportsman of the Year award after dominating middle distance and cross country events at national level and across the Tasman, while rower Jackie Gowler won Senior Sportswoman, after catching the eye of national selectors with stellar performances on the world stage.

Wanganui Collegiate Year 13 student Beamish won every race he entered at regional level from 800m to the 2000m steeplechase and won the prestigious John Walker Junior Mile in outstanding time.

Beamish won the 1500m and the 3000m at the North Island Secondary Schools competition, setting a new Collegiate record in the longer trip. He stepped out in the New Zealand Secondary Schools championship, winning the 3000m and the cross country to gain selection into the national cross country and track teams.

At the National Athletics Championship, Beamish finished second in the U20 Junior Men 1500m, while at the Australian cross country he finished third in the U20 Junior Men when only 17. He won the Australian Secondary Schools title in the same race.

Gowler, a senior at Nga Tawa, had an outstanding year on the water following in the footsteps of her elder sister Kerri, who is a double gold medal winner on the world stage and a member of the New Zealand elite rowing squad.

Jackie Gowler, who has been named in the New Zealand junior training squad, was part of the junior women's four that finished second in the B final in Germany. At the World Youth Olympics in China, Gowler finished third in the B final of the pair. She was also a gold medallist at Maadi Cup level in the U18 Girls double and runner-up in the A final of the U18 4x.

Gowler won the U18 double at the North Island Secondary School regatta and finished third in the pairs, while she was part of the women's club 8 that finished second in the A final, won the women's 4x A final, second in the A final 4+ and third in the U19 a final.

Gowler teamed with her school mate Georgia Nugent-O'Leary to be awarded the Senior Team of the Year title on the back of their wins in the U18 girls doubles at the national and North Island Secondary School championships.

Junior Sportswoman of the Year went to water skier Lily Meade, one of the best juniors in her sport in the country.

Meade was in the New Zealand team for the annual transtasman test in Australia last season, where she finished second in the trick ski and third overall. At the Asia Oceania championships in Perth, she was the only U17 girl to compete.

At the nationals, the Wanganui High School student won the slalom, trick and jump to take the overall title. She was awarded a special trophy for delivering the best performances throughout the season for females of all age groups. At regional and club level, Meade made a clean sweep, setting regional records in all three disciplines for not only U14 girls, but also U17.

Impressive performances at international and national level ensured Wanganui High School youngster Kasey Watson was named Junior Sportsman of the Year. The judo exponent competed against eight countries in June, winning bronze in the cadet U81kg category. At the national championships, Watson won gold in the senior boys and gold at the national secondary schools in the same grade.

In the coming weeks, the Chronicle will profile the performances of other category winners.