World Champions, national champions, international gold medallists and winners in general will be recognised in Wanganui tonight, and they are all still at school.
That's right, it's time again for the Ucol Wanganui Secondary Schools Sports Awards and again there is a bumper crop of entries.
With Wanganui's top athletes known for
leaving the district when their schooldays end, this is the opportunity to see the best the region has produced.
The junior categories appear to be the most fiercely contested, with last year's junior winner, motor-racing driver Earl Bamber, looking like the favourite after his win in the Asian Formula BMW Series. However, he is likely to meet strong opposition from New Zealand speed skating representative James Mitchell-Anyon and national duathlon rep Tom Francis.
The junior girls' category has a world champion in its ranks ? youth snowboarding halfpipe champion Rebecca Sinclair. She is up against NZ showjumping champion and Manawatu netball rep Andrea Crothers and national speed skating rep Melissa White.
In the senior males, New Zealand Schools cross country team member Hugo Beamish, New Zealand secondary schools track and field rep William Ridley, City College's under-19 Fijian rugby rep Roko Daini Bativagone and junior rowing world rowing champs gold medallist Tyler Sherman will be fighting it out for top spot.
The senior girls' division had the biggest number of entries, with 16 in total. Junior world champ rowing reps Georgina Baker, Harriet Austin and Anna Stantiall are a few of the standouts, but with the likes of Collegiate's athletic twins, the van Dalens, swimmer Hannah Roxburgh and karate rep Pauline Hiroti also nominated, picking a winner must have been difficult.
Also honoured at the awards will be the top junior and senior sports team, the best fairplay athlete and the best junior offical or coach.
New Zealand adventure racer Nathan Faavae is the guest speaker at the event at the War Memorial Hall Concert Chamber from 6.30pm.
