Let the countdown begin!

We’ve picked a shortlist of talented Illawarra sportspeople for you to vote for and whoever gains the most votes will be standing up there on the Fraternity Club stage on November 10.

It’s a diverse, talented group that has thrilled and engaged us all as family, friends and fans this year.

From gold medals to world titles and extraordinary achievements on the Illawarra’s sporting stage, the Mercury’s sportsperson of the year people’s choice award.

The Sporting Moment(s) of the Year are those that remains etched in the memory of the Illawarra Community as sensational, emotional or simply remarkable! Do you remember the time that Decathlete Cedric Dubler cajoled and (verbally) pushed his teammate Ashley Maloney across the line for an Olympic Medal?

It could be the devastation of Annemiek van Vleuten when she fell at the start of the Teams Time Trial at the UCI World Road Cycling Championships – or indeed her win in the Road Race after such a devastating injury?

Was it when the Illawarra Hawks beat the Sydney Kings to finish second and earn home court advantage in a semi-final battle with their NSW rivals?

Did you remember when Kieran Woolley had his outstanding run to place himself as a finalist in the Olympic Skateboarding?

Was it the nail-biting qualification of Saya Sakakibara just qualifying into the semis at the Olympic BMX race – carrying the weight of her brother’s devastating crash in her journey?

Or was the sporting moment the time that Emma McKeon cemented herself as the G.O.A.T in becoming Australia’s most successful Olympian in history, the greatest female swimmer ever at a single Olympic Games by winning four gold and three bronze medals at the Olympics?

It does not have to be the best performance – it simply has to the biggest sporting moment of the year. Nominate your biggest sporting moment of the year.

The panellists will review the following information to determine the Illawarra Sports Awards top Sporting Moments of the Year

  • The significance of the event and how that event impacted the Illawarra sporting community
  • The circumstances that had led to the event and the significance of the outcome
  • The capacity for such an event to generate real emotion in those that were watching the event
  • The spectacular nature that the game, event, competition or performance engendered