Teenage rowing star Harrison Nichols is amongst a host of regional sporting stars shortlisted for a NSW Sports Award.
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The Hunter Valley Grammar student has enjoyed an incredible 12 months highlighted by a fourth place finish in the PR3 four event at the World Rowing Championships in Serbia in September.
Nichols is aiming to row with the Australian team at the 2024 Paris Paralympics.
The 17-year-old is a finalist in the Young Athlete of the Year with a Disability category at the NSW Sports Awards.
Joining him is Branxton netballer Mackenzie Wills. Wills represents NSW in netball and is also a basketball talent having represented Australia at the 2023 Global Games in June.
Para triathlete and three-time award winner Lauren Parker is a finalist in the Athlete of the Year with a Disability category.
Parker, from Chisholm, won the award in 2022 after wins in 2018 and 2019. In August she became world champion in a second sport after taking hand-cycling gold at the world championships in Scotland.
Parker won gold in the H3 individual time trial to sit alongside her triumphs in triathlon. In 2021 she won silver at the Paralympics in Tokyo and last year became the first para-athlete to hold world championships in triathlon and ironman triathlon at the same time.
Cliff diving champion Rhiannan Iffland is a finalist for Athlete of the Year. In July, Iffland claimed her third straight high diving world title in Japan, the first person to do so.
The winners from the 12 categories will be announced at the NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony in Darling Harbour on Monday, November 20.
Sporting legends John Forbes (Yachting), Mathew Helm (Diving), Heather Garriock (Football), Brett Lee (Cricket) and David Palmer (Squash) will also be inducted into the NSW Hall of Champions while Layne Beachley (Surfing) will be elevated to Legend status.
NSW Sport Chief Executive Stuart Hodge congratulated all 61 finalists.
"These worthy finalists in each category have excelled at the highest levels, and we congratulate them on their magnificent achievements over the past 12 months," he said.
"Sport in NSW is blessed to produce so many exceptional athletes, coaches, administrators, and officials.
This is a credit to their brilliant individual efforts, but also to the teams of dedicated and unselfish support staff, family, and friends who, behind the scenes, made such an immense contribution."