Golden glow on awards

MAYOR Tom Tate says the celebration of the 50th annual Gold Coast Sports Star of the year will enhance the city’s reputation as a sporting hub and increase excitement for the Commonwealth Games.

The outstanding achievers of the 2017 sporting year will be celebrated at a gala event on February 15 next year, just seven weeks before the Games opening ceremony.

Tate expects excitement about the event to be at fever pitch as the Coast celebrates its sporting champions.

“We’re going to have 600,000 people coming to the Gold Coast and 1.5 billion people watching the Commonwealth Games and (the Sports Star awards) is perfect timing, not just for acknowledging world champions but acknowledging grassroots organisations, who through their communities have produced these champions,” Tate said.

“It’ll be a great honour to be at that dinner and to support everyone’s achievements.

“Sometimes we use the word ‘legend’ a bit loosely but that night, there will be legends left, right and centre.”

Gold Coast Sporting Hall of Fame president Daphne Pirie said the Gold Coast had an incredible sporting heritage.

“We are a city that plays sport at all levels. We’ve never been happy with just being on the sidelines,” Pirie said.

“We’ve got this wonderful partnership with Sport Gold Coast and now we can really promote the amazing achievements of our sportsmen and women on the world stage.”

An impressive field is assembling for the awards, including world 100m hurdles winner Sally Pearson and seven-time world sailing champion Mathew Belcher.