IF Getasew Ferguson achieves all he wants to in his sporting life, he says he will look back at an award victory last night as the inspiration.
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The 13-year-old cross-country runner, who was adopted from Ethiopia five years ago and now calls Beechford home, admitted he was ``shaking'' when accepting his male individual award at The Examiner IGA Junior Sports Awards ceremony at Country Club Tasmania last night.
``I wasn't the best runner when I got here, but started doing Little Athletics in 2008 and progressed from there,'' Getasew, who won the national under-12 3000-metre championship in 2011, said.
``This award tells me I'm doing the right thing and that I should keep going, and if I can keep going I can make it to the stage that they can pick me to go to the Olympics and I can do something no one else has ever done.''
The other major award winner was 17-year-old taekwondo exponent Grace Hinds, who won the female individual award.
Hinds, of Newstead, credited her coach, David Warren, and training partner Joshua Warren for helping her win the award.
She took out the title after winning the individual 14-17 years black belt female division at this year's national championships.
Taekwondo was also the sport of choice for the rising star award, which was won by 10-year-old Harley Crawford, and the team-of-the-year award, the Hoju duo of Amy Krushka and Lucas Gofton.
Other winners included Courtney Webb, whose ability to juggle tennis, cricket, football, basketball and cross-country saw her win the all-rounder award.
Swimmer Aran Miller, who is in Italy representing Australia in the Down syndrome swimming championships, won the encouragement award.
Coaches, officials and volunteers were also presented with service to sport awards.
In that group were gymnastic coaches Katrina Squires and Nicola Coote and hockey coach Robert Partridge.
Roberta Ferguson (athletics), Sheryl Burnie (softball), Rob Matson (rowing), Kelvin Beams (football), Casey Mainsbridge (triathlon), Ketrina Clarke (swimming), Mitchell Billings (soccer) and David Warren (taekwondo) were the others to receive service to sport awards.