“It is nice to be recognised for the work and effort you put in,” he said after winning the Australia Day award for a third time yesterday.

Brus had previously won the award in 1998 and 2008.

He joins Orange’s international tenpin bowler Jason Belmonte as the only sportsperson to win the senior award three times since 1998.

“It is quite humbling. I am very proud to be able to take out this award,” Brus said.

“Orange has an enormous amount of very good athletes and looking at this plaque, I am among some very high achievers. It’s quite pleasing.”

The Orange Sporting Hall of Famer thanked his family for their continual support and the members of the Orange District Pistol Club in his acceptance speech.

Brus had another stellar year in the sport, shooting at various events around the nation and the world.

He created history at the NSW state championships by being the first person to win all five available titles at one event.

At that same event he equalled the world record for the WA1500 discipline but the record was not official as it wasn’t shot at the world championships.

He won a further five state titles throughout last year at Victoria, South Australia and ACT.

However, his biggest achievement for 2010 was his two gold medals and bronze medal at the German International Shooting Championships in August.

He teamed up with fellow Orange pistol shooter and 2011 Senior Sportsperson of the Year nominee Dave Oates to win the two-man team event and claim a bronze in the world team pistol match. Brus also won gold in the world team revolver match.

“Most of my achievements are out of Orange but to be recognised about your international achievements is great,” Brus said.

The Australian representative said pistol shooting’s popularity had been increasing steadily over the years.

“The club has a good number of members ... we have the highest number of Orange district pistol shooters representing NSW and we are very fortunate to have Australian representatives at the club.”

The Senior Sportsperson of the Year award is only the start of what Brus expects to be another successful year.

“I’m going to be competing in other events throughout 2011,” he said. “I want to do well at the national championships and go to Sweden in August and compete at the world championships.”