Sport BC Announces 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Award Finalists
Lauren Kim (L) And Keri Moffat Are Finalists In The Sport BC AOY Awards For 2023
(Vancouver, BC) - Sport BC announced the finalists to be celebrated at the upcoming 56th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards taking place on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver.
The event, to be hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell, recognizes the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in the 2023 season.
Each finalist was nominated by their Provincial or Multi-Sport Organization, High School, College, or University. The Selection Committee, led by long-serving Chair Bernie Pascall, included a diverse group of highly experienced British Columbia sport leaders and media members.
An additional six awards will be presented at the ceremony including the Best of BC, KidSport BC Community Champion, Harry Jerome Comeback, Daryl Thompson Lifetime Achievement Award and In Her Footsteps Honourees and the Bobbie Steen Legacy Foundation Award recipient.
“The Athlete of the Year Awards is a true celebration of sport in our province. The finalists listed below will be honoured at the event and represent exceptional efforts and accomplishments in 2023. We congratulate our finalists and the organizations they represent”, shared Sport BC’s President and CEO, Rob Newman.
“We look forward to celebrating as a sector together on Thursday, March 7, 2024 at the Fairmont Hotel Vancouver. The finalists represent 24 sports from communities all throughout BC demonstrating the collective strength of our province’s sport sector.”
Athlete with a Disability
Yuka Chokyu (Vancouver, BC) – Badminton
Bo Hedges (Wonowon, BC) – Wheelchair Basketball
Mel Pemble (Victoria, BC) – Para Cycling (Track)
Female Coach of the Year
Jane Gumley (Victoria, BC) – Rowing (UVIC)
Sarah Hunter (Surrey, BC) – Wheelchair Tennis
Keri Moffat (Richmond, BC) – Golf
Male Coach of the Year
Dylan Armstrong (Kamloops, BC) – Athletics
Victor Gantsevich (Richmond, BC) – Fencing
Graham Thomas (Calgary, AB) – Ice Hockey (UBC)
High School Female Athlete of the Year
Amelia Kristen (Vancouver, BC) – Athletics (Crofton House)
Keira Pemberton (Langley, BC) – Basketball (Walnut Grove)
Eva Ruse (North Vancouver, BC) – Basketball and Volleyball (Mulgrave)
High School Male Athlete of the Year
Mark Johnson (Vernon, BC) – Football (Vernon Secondary)
Yemane Mulugeta (Surrey, BC) – Athletics (L.A. Matheson)
Nash Semeniuk (Kelowna, BC) – Basketball and Volleyball (Kelowna Secondary)
Junior Female Athlete of the Year
Lauren Kim (Surrey, BC) – Golf
Emmy Lan (Comox, BC) – Cycling
Chloe Primerano (North Vancouver, BC) – Ice Hockey
Junior Male Athlete of the Year
Nicholas Bennett (Parksville, BC) – Para Swimming
Gavin Dodd (Kamloops, BC) – Gymnastics
Tyson Philpot (Delta, BC) – Football
Senior Female Athlete of the Year
Gabby Flynn (Burnaby, BC) – Gymnastics
Megan Kinna (Maple Ridge, BC) – Lacrosse
Camryn Rogers (Richmond, BC) – Athletics
Senior Male Athlete of the Year
Jack Crawford – Alpine Skiing
Dylan French (Richmond, BC) – Fencing
Ethan Katzberg (Nanaimo, BC) – Athletics
Post Secondary Athlete of the Year
Theo Benedet (North Vancouver, BC) – Football (UBC)
Rowan Hamilton (Chilliwack, BC) – Athletics (UBC)
Michael Henman (Victoria, BC) – Soccer (UNBC)
Team of the Year
BC Female U18 Hockey
TWU Spartans Men’s Volleyball
UVIC Vikes Women’s Field Hockey
Master Athlete of the Year
Betty Brussel (New Westminster, BC) – Swimming
Malindi Elmore (Kelowna, BC) – Athletics
Melanie McQuaid (Victoria, BC) – Triathlon
Official of the Year
Shanda Assmus (Vancouver, BC) – Rugby
Melanie Stewart (Port Coquitlam, BC) – Ringette
Trevor Walmsley (Vancouver, BC) – Karate