Less than a year after breaking his neck the Aberglasslyn endurance motorcycle rider got back on the bike and won two Australian desert races, a national off-road championship, a world title representing his country overseas while also receiving an invitation to take part in the internationally renowned Dakar Rally.

Price, whose father John accepted the award on his behalf, was one of several sportspeople recognised at Friday night’s awards ceremony held at Club Maitland City.

West Maitland rugby league junior Brock Lamb was named Maitland Junior Sportsperson of the Year after representing the Australian Schoolboys in the halves, winning a national title and re-signing with the Newcastle Knights.

Weston javelin thrower Matthew Rees picked up the Encouragement Award after representing Australia and finishing fourth at the Youth Olympics in China.

The People’s Choice awards, based on popular vote cast by Mercury readers, went to Commonwealth Games gold medal winning swimmer Maddi Elliott and Australian junior water polo representative Sophie Hodgson.

The Maitland Team of the Year gong was taken out by the Maitland Magpies following a minor-major premiership season which earned promotion back to the Northern NSW top flight football competition after a 12-year hiatus.

The Maitland Junior Team of the Year went to the rugby league squad from All Saints College, St Joseph’s Campus, Lochinvar, which became the first to clean sweep the Knights Knockout competition by claiming all four titles in the one year from under 13s to under 16s.

More than 150 people attended the awards ceremony.

PRD nationwide sponsored the prizemoney.

See Monday’s Mercury for more coverage.

Click here to see the full list of nominees for the 2014 Maitland Sportsperson of the Year awards.