The awards, run by Sport SA, recognised South Australian athletes, coaches, administrators and volunteers, from the grassroots level through to elite international competition.

This year’s winners, announced at The Drive on Memorial Drive yesterday, are headlined by athletes and an official that have made an impact globally this year, but also a teenage surf lifesaver responsible for a brave rescue, a drought-breaking team and community-minded individuals making a difference locally.

Marathon runner Jessica Stenson and swimmer Madison Wilson couldn’t be separated by the judges for athlete of the year, after each brought home gold from the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Other notable winners include multiple world record-breaking field athlete Hugo Taheny, the state’s open women’s softball team, and elite swimming coach Peter Bishop.

Wilson couldn’t attend the awards ceremony, but Stenson spoke in detail about her stunning run at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, which was a return to elite competition at the age of 34 after the birth of her son Billy.

She also revealed that she’s undecided about the next steps in her brilliant career.

“I’ve been running marathons now for 10 years – it’s been an incredible journey,” she told the gathering.

“Basically when I first started being coached by Adam (Didyk), he asked me to write down my goals, and I think I said ‘represent SA in running’. He said, ‘look, I want you to write down your biggest scariest goals – what is it?’ I said ‘I’ve always wanted to go to the Olympics but I don’t think that’s possible’. He said, ‘nah, put it down – let’s chip away and see where we get to’.”

She went on to represent Australia at Olympic and Commonwealth level, picking up bronze at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Stenson said she was “over the moon” at the result, and was hoping for gold on the Gold Coast in 2018. She came away with another bronze, in what she described as “one of the hardest marathons I’ve ever run”.

“To then cross the line in first place in 2022, it really was a dream come true,” she said.

The awards host, ABC sports broadcaster Aaron Bryans, asked her what was next.

“That’s a good question. I’m still recovering from the New York Marathon and just enjoying some downtime. I really hope to represent Australia again but we haven’t set goals yet – that will be something for the new year.

“It really is an honour to be here – I wasn’t expecting this.”

ABC Adelaide Athlete of the Year

Madison Wilson and Jessica Stenson (joint winners)

Madi Wilson (far right) with the victorious Australian 4x200m Freestyle Relay team of Mollie O’Callaghan, Kiah Melverton and Ariarne Titmus. Photo: AAP/Dave Hunt

The judges were unable to separate swimmer Madison Wilson and marathon runner Jessica Stenson, who both had outstanding career years.

Stenson’s record this year includes a Commonwealth Games gold medal and a top 10 finish in the New York Marathon. Described by Bruce McAvaney as one of the standout performances of the year in Australian sport, Stenson charged home to win her first Commonwealth Games gold medal after twice winning bronze.

Wilson was part of the world record-breaking relay team that won two gold medals and two silver at the world championships. She also won four gold medals and a bronze at the Commonwealth Games. In that meet, she was part of the world recording-breaking 4x200m freestyle relay team that smashed the previous record set by China. She also claimed accolades for her role in helping to unify an under-pressure Australian swimming team.

ABC Adelaide Para Athlete of the Year

Hugo Taheny

Hugo Taheny and Jessica Stenson with their awards. Photo: Craig Arnold

Hugo Taheny competes nationally and internationally classified as an 11-2/F21 athlete. Taheny, who comes from Yorke Peninsula, has had an outstanding 12 months in which he achieved multiple world records.

In the last 12 months, Taheny has broken the world records for discus and shot put, for both the International Athletic Association for People with Down Syndrome and the International Sports Federation for Persons with Intellectual Disability.

As a result, he is the number one ranked athlete in the world for both disciplines in his classification. He also holds the Australian record for the open men’s para shot put and discus, with a collection of gold medals at the Australian Track and Field Championships, the Oceania Athletics championships and the state championships.

Accepting the award, Taheny dedicated the victory to his family and coach.

InDaily Emerging Athlete of the Year

Taylor Chillingworth

Taylor Chillingworth, the winner of the past two Junior Athlete of the Year awards, played nationals in three grades this year – under 18, under 23 and at the Open level, where she was part of South Australia’s history-making national championship team. She is signed/committed to division one US college team San Jose.

Among her long list of accolades, Chillingworth won best batter at the U23 Nationals, was the state MVP for both the U18 and U23 state team, and was part of the open women’s national championship team and an A-grade premiership player with Port Adelaide.

Taylor Chillingworth was named the InDaily Emerging Athlete of the Year. Photo: Craig Arnold

The judges noted she is a role model at the club and in the wider community, contributing off the field as a coach for the Tea Tree Gully SAPSASA district.

InDaily Team of the Year

SA Open Women’s Softball Team

The SA Open Women’s Soft Team, the Starz, this year broke a 66-year drought to win their second national title. It was a homecoming for the team, which won the title in front of a local crowd at Thebarton Oval – the site of their only previous victory in 1956.

The Starz recorded the most runs for and the least runs against, only dropping one game on the way to the finals. The victory required resilience: they lost the semi-final to NSW, but defeated Victoria in the preliminary to grab another chance against NSW in the final.

The judges noted that the Starz victory against NSW was the culmination of the work of many in the state, on and off field, executed by players from all around SA including Mt Gambier, Gawler and Districts, Central Districts, Riverland, Port Pirie, Adelaide Hills and the Adelaide Club Competition.

Active Inclusion Award

Adeline Roe

At the age of 14, Adeline Roe identified a gap in cricket opportunities – there was no Women’s Blind Cricket Team. Rather than accept things the way they were, Roe took on the challenge to champion a female-only team in South Australia. As an avid player herself, she worked hard to turn her idea into a reality, with Blind Cricket SA now sporting 10 female participants – the most of any Blind Cricket Club in the country and the only sole women’s and girls’ program in the country.

Administrator of the Year

Jason Rivett

As head of operations for Volleyball SA, Jason Rivett has played a key role in the SA Volleyball League home and away season, the introduction of the u13s competition and securing a major sponsor for the league, which saw a 40 per cent growth in participation. The home-and-away structure for the league is a first for Australia, meaning clubs can build their fan base in their local community with matches played frequently at their ‘home club’ throughout the season.

Coach of the Year

Peter Bishop

Marion-based swimming coach Peter Bishop has developed a leading swimming program over more than a decade with sustained success at the Olympic, Commonwealth and world championship level.

The proof is in his swimmers’ outstanding results this year at the highest level. In 2022, Bishop’s swimmers took home 16 Commonwealth medals including 13 gold, two silver, and one bronze, and 12 world championship medals, including five gold, five silver and one bronze.

Event of the Year

Swimming Australia Commonwealth Games & Fina World Cup Trials

Adelaide hosted this year’s event, which was the selection trials for Australia’s Commonwealth Games, World Championships and Paralympic Teams. Set against the backdrop of COVID-19 restrictions, the eight-day program involved more than 30 staff and 230 volunteers. In the pool, three individual world records were broken.

Volunteer of the Year

Katie Liebelt

Katie Liebelt contributes to the sport of netball from her home in Clare at many levels. She’s a member of the South Clare Netball club committee but also coaches the 10 and Under team, and the Year 7/8 and 9/10 school teams in Clare. She is also the South Clare coach education and player development coordinator, umpires regularly, and plays at the A2 Grade level. She is a mentor to young coaches and others at the club. Beyond her club and school work, Liebelt is chairperson of the Northern Region Netball Committee and has coached the Open State Country Representative team.

Official of the Year

Vanessa Devlin

Vanessa Devlin is the highest-ranked female basketball referee in South Australia at FIBA (International) accreditation level. She is the only female South Australian referee to have a FIBA 3×3 qualification. Devlin was also the only Australian to officiate 3×3 basketball at the Tokyo Olympics, and this year she followed it up with selection for the Asia Cup and Commonwealth Games. At the Commonwealth games, she officiated the Men’s Bronze medal match and the Women’s gold medal match. She has also taken on mentor roles both at junior levels and within national 3×3 tournaments.

Reconciliation Award

National Indigenous Tennis Carnival SA

After the inaugural carnival in SA last year, Tennis SA held the second event at Playford Tennis Centre in August, in collaboration with The City of Playford. More than 120 First Nations primary school students from Kaurna Plains, Elizabeth North and Elizabeth East participated on the day. Then in September, Tennis SA also ran the NITC-SA event at the clay courts in Memorial Drive. Also in the past year, the South Australian team won the Ash Barty Cup for participation and effort at the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival.

Ruby Warner Spirit of Sports Award

Lachlan Larven

This award is presented to an individual athlete who has demonstrated an innate talent and love for their chosen sport and has also shown selfless care and commitment to others. This year’s winner, Lachlan Larven, has had an outstanding year at the Glenelg Surf Life Saving Club, being awarded the Most Outstanding Patrol Member, Most Outstanding U15 Member, U15 Male Club Champ, U15 Ironman Champion, and Most Outstanding Swim Member.

As a lifesaver, Larven has been instrumental in managing multiple incidents when he has arrived first on the scene. He was awarded the SLSA rescue medal for a rescue he performed with another club member earlier this year, with the judges noting his actions saved the life of a young woman.