AFTER a mammoth 2014 Orange tenpin gun and arguably the world’s best bowler Jason Belmonte, predictably, bagged the top gong at last night’s Orange Credit Union Sports Awards ceremony, at the Orange Civic Theatre.
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Celebrating Orange’s best and brightest athletes’ performances and achievements from the 2014 calendar year Belmonte, not the first time, claimed the sportsperson of the year gong after winning a plethora of competitions and awards last year.
In 2014, Belmonte won a record-breaking third straight United States Bowling Congress Masters title - becoming the first bowler to do so - was voted the GEICO Chris Schenkel Professional Bowlers Association player of the year going for a second straight year, and was also named as the International Bowling Media Association bowler of the year alongside American Kelly Kulick.
Belmonte was the only player to win three PBA/World Bowling Tour titles in 2014, which included two majors in the Barbasol PBA Tournament of Champions and the Masters, and also triumphed in the PBA Oklahoma Open during the PBA Summer Tour Series.
Billy Greatbatch beat out a host of worthy rivals to secure the 2014 junior sportsperson of the year after becoming the youngest level six touch football referee in history, aged just 17 at the time. He was also endorsed to represent Australia as a match official at the 2014 USA Nationals and was also selected to officiate at this year’s Touch World Cup.
Orange’s open netball side claimed the team of the year award, thanks to its 2014 Netball NSW State Championships title win - a competition in which the side won 20 of its 22 games, pipping Gosford at the post.
In the process Orange also retained the Pat Weston OAM Country Champions Cup, awarded to the highest finishing rural team.
Although not the title the side was nominated for, Orange also won its 19th straight Central West State League, and finished second to Newcastle in the GrainCorp Inter-Region State League.
