AT JUST 11-years-old, Molly Currie has been named the Sunrise Hastings Sportsperson of the Year.
The talented athlete heads the list of local sports stars and volunteers who were honoured at a ceremony jointly hosted by the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie Sunrise and the Port Macquarie Hastings Sporting Fund.
More than 200 people attended the breakfast event on 7 November.
Molly is already making her mark as one of the region’s most promising young athletes.
Ranked the second-fastest 10-year-old in Australia over 800 metres, Molly broke three school records and collected four regional gold medals in athletics, while excelling in cross country, netball, and touch football.
She is also a member of St Columba Anglican School’s (SCAS) 4x100m Junior Girls Relay Team, which claimed gold at the NSW Track and Field Championships and was named the Hastings’ Junior Team of the Year.
The Hastings Sporting Awards are now in their 26th year and continue to play a vital role in recognising and supporting the sporting endeavours of the Hastings community.
Sunrise Rotary President David Lane, said the awards and $10,000 in prizemoney go beyond recognising results.
“The Sunrise Hastings Sports Awards were established to inspire our youth to engage in sport and to celebrate the commitment of athletes and volunteers who strengthen our community,” he said.
“Sport brings us together. It builds confidence, creates friendships, and promotes physical and mental wellbeing.
“[The] award winners embody those values perfectly.”
Winners
–Greenmeadows Health Centre Sportsperson of the Year: Molly Currie.
–AusSport Scoreboards Junior Sportsperson of the Year (Primary School Age): Bobbie Oxspring (athletics). Bobbie has broken long-standing school, district, and zone high jump records, including a 1.57m jump that smashed a 20-year record. She has won multiple events at North Coast and Regional Championships and finished fourth nationally.
–Donovan Oates Hannaford Junior Sportsperson of the Year (High School Age): Noah Pociask (tennis, cross country, athletics). At just 15, Noah was unbeaten as he helped NSW win gold at the national Pizzey Cup. He was the only regional player selected. Ranked 5th in NSW, he also claimed the NSW Country U18s singles title while excelling in cross country and athletics at school and diocesan levels.
–Flower Hotels Senior Sportsperson of the Year: Bayden Smith (hockey). Bayden represented the Hockey NSW Under 21s, helping secure silver at the National Championships. He is now part of both the Junior Kookaburras and Hockey NSW Pride squads, soon to debut in the national Hockey One League. Locally, he continues to coach, umpire, and mentor young players.
–Patterson First National Real Estate Junior Team of the Year (18 years & Under): St Columba
Anglican School 4x100m Junior Girls Relay.
–Donovan Oates Hannaford Senior Team of the Year: Flamin’ Dragons Senior B Women’s Crew
(dragon boating). The Flamin’ Dragons set themselves a challenge to compete at three major Sydney regattas —
starting with a gold medal at the Lunar New Year Regatta in Darling Harbour, followed by gold and bronze at the NSW State Titles, and three bronze medals at the Australian Championships. Their success has earned them qualification for the 2026 Club Crew World Championships in Taiwan.
–Laing + Simmons Port Macquarie Sportsperson of the Year with a Disability: Oscar Jessup (CrossFit). In his first competitive year, Oscar qualified through multiple stages to reach the 2025 Adaptive CrossFit Games in Las Vegas, where he placed third in the Intellectual with CC division. He was the youngest athlete across all Games’ divisions.
–Hastings Physio and Health Sporting Volunteer of the Year: Gail McArdle (Port City Breakers Junior Rugby League Football Club). A volunteer for over 20 years, Gail has served as canteen coordinator, registrar, and now club
president, while representing the club as a Group 3 delegate. Known for her quiet dedication and advocacy for disadvantaged kids, Gail ensures every child gets the chance to play and belong.
–Regional Australia Bank Excellence in Sporting Achievements: Macey Walker (hockey), Audrey Littler (horse riding) and Ollie McCormick (martial arts).
–Wayne Richards Sporting Scholarship: Bayden Smith (Hockey).
The sporting fund also presented $500 Highly Commended Awards to Lola Styles (volleyball) and Iesha Apthorpe (swimming).
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