2025 WRAS Athletes of the Year. Back Row (L-R): Ellie Bestwick (Hockey), Elly Thornberry (Hockey), The Hon. Stephen Lawerence MLC, Ava Francisco (Netball), Halle Potter (Triathlon), Cooper Starkey (Golf), Ebony Robinson (Cycling) & Savannah Auvaa (Athletics); Front Row: Zac Harding (Athletes with a Disability), Jazzy Gordon (Basketball), Kade Anderson (Hockey), Henry Kross (Future Stars – Squash)
The Western Region Academy of Sport (WRAS) held its annual presentation evening at Panthers Bathurst on Saturday 28th June 2025. Over 300 guests attended a night that recognised and celebrated the numerous sporting achievements over the past 12 months of the graduating athletes from the 2024/25 WRAS programs.
The WRAS award categories for the presentation evening included; Strength & Conditioning, Coach’s Award, Outstanding Achievement by an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander, Chairman’s Nominees for Excellence and the Squad Athlete of the Year for each program.
Athletes nominated for the Chairman’s Award would be considered for the 2025 WRAS Chairman’s Award for Excellence. Each sport program’s athlete of the year would be in contention for the most prestigious WRAS award; 2025 WRAS Athlete of the Year.
Ebony Robinson (Cycling) of O’Connell was awarded the 2025 WRAS Athlete of the Year.
Ebony Robinson the 2025 WRAS Athlete of the Year
In a very short period of time, Ebony has established herself as not only the best in the Olympic discipline Sprint Events in Australia, but also among the best sprinters in the world in the U/19 age group. Over the past 9 months Ebony has won three gold (individual sprint, individual time trial and madison) and two silver (keirin and team sprint) medals at the NSW State Track Champions, setting a new Australian record in the 1000m time trial. At the Oceania Track Championships, she won gold in individual sprint, keirin and team sprint while also claiming a silver in the time trial. At the Australian National Track Championships, Ebony claimed gold in the individual sprint and keirin and a bronze in the team sprint and time trial events. Following her success at Nationals Ebony has been selected to represent Australia at the World Junior Track Championships in Netherlands in August.
Henry Kross (Future Stars – Squash) of Parkes was announced as the 2025 WRAS Athlete of the Year runner-up.
This was Henry’s first year in the WRAS Future Stars program and he has achieved some impressive achievements in that time. Henry won the U15 National Junior Squash Championships at Australian Juniors, and finished second in the U17 Australian Junior Squash Open which is a World Squad Federation Sanctioned event. Henry was also named in the Australian Junior Men’s National Squash Talent Squad. This national squad supports players with the potential to represent Australia in the next three years in the Team Event at the World Squash Junior Championships.
The Chairman’s Award for Excellence was presented to Basketball’s, Mia Richardson of Dubbo.
Mia Richardson the 2025 Winner of the Chairman’s Award for Excellence
On the court, Mia has had an outstanding year, being named in the All-Star 5 at the Academy Games Tournament and she competed in the U16 Australian Country Cup where her team were runners-up in the grand final. Mia was also selected for the Basketball NSW U16 D League program, and played for the Dubbo U16 Representative Team. She also gives back as a local referee and junior coach. Mia’s leadership off the court is what truly sets her apart, as she is a current member of the NSW Youth Council, a 2026 appointee to the NSW Youth Advisory Council, and also serves on the Dubbo Youth Council. She was part of the advisory group to the NSW government social media summit and winner of the 2025 RASI leadership award. Currently, Mia is using her platform to research and raise awareness about the impact of the decision not to fund the Dubbo Sports Hub, advocating for the needs of regional youth.
Jazzy Gordon (Basketball) of Dubbo was announced as the winner of the 2025 WRAS Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander Award.
Jazzy Gordon UAA Indigenous Athlete of the Year
This award is presented to an Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander athlete/s within the WRAS sports programs who demonstrated outstanding sporting achievement and success within their sport. Jazzy was also the joint winner of this award in 2024. Jazzy has had an amazing 12 months, being selected in the Basketball NSW State Performance Squad, the Basketball NSW U18 D League team as a bottom age athlete and represented NSW Country at the Australian Junior Country Cup as a bottom age athlete in the U18 competition. Most impressively, Jazzy was also selected in the NSW Country U18 team which competed at the 2025 National Basketball Championships.
A full list of award winners and nominees is attached below:
The Squad Athletes of the Year (highest achievers in their sport) were:
Athletics: Savannah Auvaa (Bathurst)
Basketball: Jazzy Gordon (Dubbo)
Cycling: Ebony Robinson (O’Connell)
Golf: Cooper Starkey (Bathurst)
Hockey: Kade Anderson (Lithgow), Ellie Bestwick (Bathurst), Elly Thornberry (Parkes)
Future Stars: Henry Kross (Parkes)
Athletes with a Disability: Zac Harding (Dubbo)
Netball: Ava Francisco (Dubbo)
Triathlon: Halle Potter (Mudgee)
Ebony Robinson (Cycling) won the major award – 2025 WRAS Athlete of the Year, with Henry Kross (Future Stars – Squash) named as runner-up.
The Coach’s Award recipients (for the most dedicated or improved athlete) were:
Basketball Junior Squad: Hamish Bailey (Orange)
Basketball Senior Squad: Max Stiff (Bathurst)
Basketball Graduate Squad: Cohen Weir (Dubbo)
Netball: Elsie Tomlinson (Bathurst)
Netball Umpires: Mia Lewis (Cowra)
The Chairman’s Nominees for Excellence were:
Athletics: Kobe Borgstahl (Bathurst)
Basketball: Mia Richardson (Dubbo)
Cycling: Charlotte Lovett (Bathurst)
Hockey: Ally Evans (Bathurst)
Netball: Charlie Schmich (Orange)
The 2025 Chairman’s Award for Excellence was won by Mia Richardson (Dubbo).
The 2025 WRAS Coach of the Year was won by Michael Robinson (Cycling).
The Strength and Conditioning Award recipients (for the most dedicated or improved athlete in S&C sessions) were: Connor Bennett (Orange), Ania Cole (Mudgee), Jazzy Gordon (Dubbo), Sara Rush (Cowra), Audrey Theobald (Bathurst), Elly Thornberry (Parkes) & Addison Walker (Molong).