SPORTS AWARDS
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STATE and national representatives feature as finalists for the 2007 Orange Credit Union Sports Awards.
The finalists in the three categories were announced yesterday with many of them having continued success this year.
Last year's winner, Jason Belmonte, has been nominated again and is in illustrious company.
Helen Worland (tennis), Dean Brus (pistol shooting), David Oates (pistol shooting), David Hayward (tenpin bowling), Tim Guy (cycling), Stuart Bennett (motorcycle racing), Paddy Ward (motor racing) and Grant Pickering (softball) have all be named in the final nine nominees.
Worland helped Australia win the ITF Seniors World Team Championships women's 55 years title and joined with Adrienne Avis to finish second in the Individual Championships women's doubles.
This was the eighth consecutive year Worland was selected in the Australian senior women's tennis team.
Paddy Ward took out the NSW Super Sedan Series and Tim Guy won the NSW under 19 hillclimb championship.
David Oates won the inaugural World Association 1500 match at the Pistol Australia Championships and at the same event Dean Brus was first in the service pistol unrestricted and second in the service pistol and the service pistol 25 yards.
Stuart Bennett was second in the Australian Supermoto Championship S2 class.
Grant Pickering has been nominated for coaching the NSW All Schools girls softball side to the School Sport Australia title.
He was also chosen to coach the School Sport Australia girls' side at the Australian Under 23 invitational tournament.
Belmonte, who won his third sportsperson of the year award in 2006, had strong results on the international tenpin bowling stage winning the Brunswick Euro Challenge in Greece, the Kuwait International Open, the Perth Tenpin Cup, the Brunswick Australian Cup and the Milo International All Stars in Malaysia.
He also took home medals from the World Youth Championships and the Men's World Championships.
Deaf tenpin bowler David Hayward brought home two gold and a silver medal from the inaugural Australian Disabilities Championships, a bronze from the Australian Deaf Championships and a gold from the New Zealand Deaf Championships.
The junior sportsperson of the year finalists also have an impressive list of achievements and the sporting team finalists have set a lofty standard.
The awards presentation will be held at Orange Ex-Services Club on July 28.