Nords Wharf high diver Rhiannan Iffland will be attending the prestigious NSW Champions of Sport ceremony at Rosehill Gardens on Monday after being nominated for a state award.
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The NSW Sports Awards aim to find the cream of the state’s crop, and will this year be combined with inductions for the new members of the NSW Hall of Champions in one event.
Iffland has found herself in quality company as she vies for the title of ‘Athlete of the Year’, with her competition including test cricketer Ellyse Perry, paddler Jessica Fox, discus thrower Dani Stevens, surf lifesaving beach sprinter Jake Lynch, Jilaroos rugby league star Simaima Taufa and current world number one croquet player Alison Sharpe.
Sports NSW Chairperson Joseph La Posta also commented on the nominee list, and reminded those in the running for the top honour that the nominations were recognition already of their outstanding talents across state sport in the past year.
“These widely-celebrated awards have been running for over 20 years and all nominees join a rich history and heritage of elite sports performers who have represented their sport and state in outstanding fashion at the highest level,” La Posta said.
“Each nominee is a role model within their sport and within their local community and will inspire many more aspiring athletes, officials, administrators and organisation to achieve sporting excellence in the years ahead.”
The road to the nomination also saw Iffland crowned world champion for her gold medal performance at the 2017 FINA World High Diving event in Budapest last July.
These nominees join a rich history and heritage of elite sports performers.
- - Joseph La Posta, Sports NSW Chairperson
She was also a member of the Hunter United Diving Academy, influencing and training young athletes that are becoming involved in the sport.
Illford told Fairfax Media that her success over the past 12 months was helping raise awareness of her sport, and that she was proud of the events expansion.
“Media coverage is getting more intense and we hope that additional facilities will be available for diving,’’ she said. “All this makes more people to come to the sport and will definitively help in raising our level.”
As well as the outstanding performances that Illford recorded in Budapest, the Lake Macquarie cliff diver also dominated in Texas just months before, extending her championship lead at Possum Kingdom Lake.
The accomplishments for the international athlete is also made more impressive due to her run back from injury, a set-back that came during practice at the Stari Most bridge in Mostar preparing for the Bosnia and Herzegovina world series.
As well as the individual efforts of Illford, Lake Macquarie council have also been added to the awards.
They have been nominated for Council of the Year, in part for their involvement in a variety of sports, planning, infrastructure development and strategic partnerships for the expansion of grassroots participation.