Two athletes and two coaches from Richmond are being named finalists for the 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards.
The awards, hosted by Sport BC, celebrate the province's best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams and officials for their outstanding performances in their sport for the 2023 season.
Hammer throwing world champion Camryn Rogers and fencer Dylan French were selected as finalists for the senior female and male athlete of the year, respectively.
Meanwhile, Keri Moffat and Victor Gantsevich are named finalists for the female and male coaches of the year in golf and fencing, respectively.
Each finalist was nominated by their provincial or multi-sport organization, high school, college or university.
Six additional awards including the Best of B.C., KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award. In Her Footsteps Honourees and the Bobbie Steen Legacy Foundation Award recipient will be presented at the awards ceremony on Mar. 7 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
SportBC President and CEO Rob Newman said the Athlete of the Year Awards honours athletes representing exceptional efforts and accomplishments in the sports realm last season.
"The finalists represent 24 sports from communities all throughout B.C. demonstrating the collective strength of our province's sport sector," said Newman.
Full list of finalists:
Athlete with a Disability
Yuka Chokyu (Vancouver) – Badminton
Bo Hedges (Wonowon) – Wheelchair Basketball
Mel Pemble (Victoria) – Para Cycling (Track)
Female Coach of the Year
Jane Gumley (Victoria) – Rowing (UVIC)
Sarah Hunter (Surrey) – Wheelchair Tennis
Keri Moffat (Richmond) - Golf
Male Coach of the Year
Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops) – Athletics
Victor Gantsevich (Richmond) – Fencing
Graham Thomas (Calgary) – Ice Hockey (UBC)
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Amelia Kristen (Vancouver) – Athletics (Crofton House)
Keira Pemberton (Langley) – Basketball (Walnut Grove)
Eva Ruse (North Vancouver) – Basketball and Volleyball (Mulgrave)
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Mark Johnson (Vernon) – Football (Vernon Secondary)
Yemane Mulugeta (Surrey) – Athletics (L.A. Matheson)
Nash Semeniuk (Kelowna) – Basketball and Volleyball (Kelowna Secondary)
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Lauren Kim (Surrey) – Golf
Emmy Lan (Comox) – Cycling
Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver) – Ice Hockey
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Nicholas Bennett (Parksville) – Para Swimming
Gavin Dodd (Kamloops) – Gymnastics
Tyson Philpot (Delta) - Football
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Gabby Flynn (Burnaby) – Gymnastics
Megan Kinna (Maple Ridge) – Lacrosse
Camryn Rogers (Richmond) - Athletics
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Jack Crawford – Alpine Skiing
Dylan French (Richmond) – Fencing
Ethan Katzberg (Nanaimo) - Athletics
Post Secondary Athlete of the Year
Theo Benedet (North Vancouver) – Football (UBC)
Rowan Hamilton (Chilliwack) – Athletics (UBC)
Michael Henman (Victoria) – Soccer (UNBC)
Team of the Year
BC Female U18 Hockey
TWU Spartans Men’s Volleyball
UVIC Vikes Women’s Field Hockey
Master Athlete of the Year
Betty Brussel (New Westminster) – Swimming
Malindi Elmore (Kelowna) – Athletics
Melanie McQuaid (Victoria) - Triathlon
Official of the Year
Shanda Assmus (Vancouver) – Rugby
Melanie Stewart (Port Coquitlam) – Ringette
Trevor Walmsley (Vancouver) - Karate
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