ARTISTIC roller skater Izzy Podlich is a face to watch.
She is one of a group of young up and comers from the south west who vie for gongs at the Audi Centre Springwood City of Logan Sports Awards.
Podlich, 13, from Greenbank, has been competiing for six years, training at Inala and Mt Warren Park. She is the state champion for open short ladies freeskating and juvenile girls freeskating and won a silver medal for juvenile girls figures.
At the recent Australian Artistic Roller Skating Championships in Perth, Podlich won bronze for juvenile girls figures, fourth in juvenile girls freeskating and fifth in the open short ladies freeskating.
Mum Vicki said Izzy’s next goal was to win selection to compete in cadet grade figures and freeskating at the Oceania Championships in Melbourne next year.
“The Oceanias would be Izzy’s first international competition. She’s excited to be working towards her dream of one day competing at the world championships,” Mrs Podlich said.
Podlich vies for the Young Sportsperson 13-18 years award. Her rivals include Hills College students Zubair Firdaus and Hannah Reeves, both under 18 world junior golf champions after wins in Jakarta earlier this year.
Tara Billington, 15, is a champion in the art of Korean swords. She won four golds at the recent New Zealand championships and two gold and four silver at Mulympia, the martial arts Olympics.
Tara’s dad Shane won four golds in New Zealand and two gold and four silvers at the Mulympia. He is a nominee at the Logan awards in the masters 35+ category.
Jake Cuka, 16, placed second in a Queensland Motocross Championship at Hervey Bay in July.
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Cuka, a Beaudesert State High School student, was a favourite at the recent Australian Supercross Championships at Jimboomba X Stadium. The Jimboomba event is nominated for best event.
Others who vie for gongs include Jimboomba high jumper Renee Fisher, Logan Village karate champion Chloe Bryant, Munruben Woods mountain bike cross country athlete Cooper Aves, New Beith BMX rider Molly McGilland and Cedar Vale archer Mikala Shevill.
Greenbank Cricket Club’s Yvette Dempsey vies for a sports administrator award.
The Audi Centre Springwood City of Logan Sports Awards recognise Logan’s current crop of sporting champions.
A record 131 nominations received across 12 categories include three nominations from athletes who competed at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games.
Logan has produced elite athletes who include rugby league legend Cameron Smith, Winter Olympian Steven Bradbury and swimmer Jodie Henry.
Past winners include dual international in rugby league and rugby union and former AFL player Israel Folau, former Brisbane Broncos captain and Australian rugby league player Corey Parker and boxing heavyweight Alex Leapai.
Four-time world champion boxer Danny Green will be a special guest to speak about bouts that include the famed Green-Mundine showdowns plus his sporting journey from grassroots to the international stage.
“The pedigree is pretty awesome when you think about the likes of Israel Folau, Cameron Smith and the lion-hearted Alex Leipai, who all played and trained in and around Logan. It’s where they dreamed big and set their sights on becoming the best of the best,” he said.
“One of the greatest things about sport is the people you meet along the way and I’m really looking forward to sharing parts of my journey.”
Logan acting mayor Cherie Dalley said the sports awards were one of the council’s biggest events of the year.
“It’s not hard to see why with such a dazzling array of past and present talent involved,” she said.
The Audi Centre Springwood City of Logan Sports Awards will be held at Logan Metro Sports and Events Centre on Saturday.
