Tourism, Culture and Recreation
May 16, 2012
Province’s Top Athletes Honoured by Premier Dunderdale
More than $71,000 was presented to 97 provincial athletes at the 2012 Premier’s Athletic Awards hosted by the Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. The event was held today (Wednesday, May 16) at the Battery Hotel, St. John’s.
“The Premier’s Athletic Awards Program recognizes and supports the extraordinary athletic achievements of Newfoundland and Labrador’s top young athletes,” said Premier Dunderdale. “We honour our outstanding athletes not only for what they have accomplished, but for their drive, hard work and dedication to their chosen sport. I commend all the recipients and wish them the best of luck for their future success.”
The Premier’s Athletic Awards Program provides grants in the amounts of $500, $1,000, and $1,500 to assist young athletes with the costs of training and competition at the elite level. The amount each recipient receives is dependent on the level of competition in which they are engaged and the training requirements.
“The Provincial Government continues to provide our provincial athletes with opportunities to reach their highest potential in sport performance,” said the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. “We are committed to our provincial athletes. Through programs such as the Premier’s Athletic Awards, we are providing them with the support they need to assist them in achieving their athletic goals.”
A complete list of recipients can be found in the backgrounder below.
The awards ceremony also included the presentation of Team Gushue Scholarship Awards, valued at $5,000 each, to target shooter Justin Hearn of St. Joseph’s and swimmer Katarina Roxon of Stephenville. Applications for the Team Gushue Scholarship Awards, which were first awarded in 2007, are made through the Sport Newfoundland and Labrador Scholarship Program.
Mr. Hearn has been shooting for 10 years. In 2011, he was named captain of both the Canadian Under 25 World Long Range Championship and the Dominion of Canada Rifle Association Under 25 teams. Mr. Hearn also placed first in both the 2011 Australian Range Championships and the 2011 Parting Shot Aggregate Dominion of Canada Rifle Association competition. Mr. Hearn is currently in his fifth year of the Bachelor of Commerce (Co-op) Honours program at Memorial University.
Ms. Roxon graduated from Stephenville High School in 2011. This past year in the sport of swimming, she competed internationally at the 2011 Pan Pacific Swimming Championship, in which she received a gold and a silver medal. She also competed in the U.S. Paralympic Spring International, in which she received three silver and four bronze medals. On the running track at the 2011 Boiling Point Wheelchair Classic International held in Whitby, Ontario, she received five gold medals and broke two national records. This past March she qualified to compete for Canada at the 2012 London Summer Paralympic Games. If selected for the team, this will be her second time competing in the Paralympics. Ms. Roxon will enter Memorial University in the fall.
The Premier’s Athletic Awards Program was established in 2005 and has provided almost $600,000 to support athletic excellence in Newfoundland and Labrador. For eligibility requirements and detailed information about the program, visit www.tcr.gov.nl.ca/tcr/sports/premieraa.html
Budget 2012: People and Prosperity – Responsible Investments for a Secure Future provides $8.6 million to support recreation and sport in the province. Since the launch of the Provincial Government’s recreation and sport strategy, Active, Healthy Newfoundland and Labrador (2007), more than $70 million has been committed to recreational and sport infrastructure, programming, and athlete development throughout the province.
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Photo#1: The Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, was master of ceremonies at the 9th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards on Wednesday, May 16 at The Battery Hotel in St. John’s.
Photo #2: The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador hosted the 9th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards on Wednesday, May 16 at The Battery Hotel in St. John’s.
Photo #3: The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation chat with Brad Gushue at the 9th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards on Wednesday, May 16 at The Battery Hotel in St. John’s.
Photo #4: The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation, and Brad Gushue join athletes for a group photo at the 9th Annual Premier’s Athletic Awards on Wednesday, May 16 at The Battery Hotel in St. John’s. In total, 97 athletes from Newfoundland and Labrador were presented with more than $71,000.
Photo #5: The Honourable Kathy Dunderdale, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Brad Gushue, and the Honourable Derrick Dalley, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation join Target shooter Justin Hearn of St. Joseph’s (far left) and swimmer Katarina Roxon of Stephenville (far right), recipients of the Team Gushue Scholarship Awards.
Media contacts:
| Glenda Power Director of Communications Office of the Premier 709-729-3960 glendapower@gov.nl.ca |
Milly Brown Press Secretary Office of the Premier 709-729-4304, 631-8477 millybrown@gov.nl.ca |
| Diana Quinton Director of Communications Department of Tourism, Culture and Recreation 709-729-0928, 631-8155 dianaquinton@gov.nl.ca |
BACKGROUNDER
Premier’s Athletic Awards Recipients
| SPORT | NAME | HOMETOWN |
| ATHLETICS |
|
Kippens |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Mount Pearl | |
|
|
Tors Cove | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Kippens | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| BASEBALL |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| BASKETBALL |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
Massey Drive | |
|
|
St. Mary’s Bay | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| BOWLING |
|
Bay Roberts |
|
|
Portugal Cove-St. Philips | |
| CURLING |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| CROSS COUNTRY SKI |
|
St. Philips |
|
|
Labrador City | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| DIVING |
|
St. John’s |
| FIGURE SKATING |
|
Conception Bay South |
|
|
Conception Bay South | |
|
|
Corner Brook | |
|
|
Corner Brook | |
|
|
Conception Bay South | |
|
|
Labrador City | |
| GOLF |
|
Gander |
| GYMNASTICS |
|
Logy Bay |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Paradise | |
| HANDBALL |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| HOCKEY |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
Springdale | |
|
|
Dunville | |
| MOUNTAIN BIKING |
|
Mount Pearl |
| POWERLIFTING |
|
Conne River |
| ROWING |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Outer Cove | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| RUGBY |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Paradise | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Portugal Cove-St. Phillips | |
| SAILING |
|
St. John’s |
| SHOOTING |
|
Mount Pearl |
|
|
Mount Pearl | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Paradise | |
| SOCCER |
|
St. Lawrence |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Outer Cove | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Portugal Cove-St. Phillip’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Mount Pearl | |
| SOFTBALL |
|
Goulds |
| SWIMMING |
|
Mount Pearl |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Corner Brook | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| SYNCHRO SWIMMING |
|
Corner Brook |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| TABLE TENNIS |
|
Clarke’s Beach |
| TENNIS |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| VOLLEYBALL |
|
St. John’s |
|
|
St. John’s | |
|
|
Cupids | |
|
|
St. John’s | |
| WRESTLING |
|
Mount Pearl |
|
|
Paradise | |
|
|
Bay Bulls |
2012 05 16 5:00 p.m.