The Gold Coast’s sporting excellence has been thrust into the spotlight with the official unveiling of finalists for the 2026 Gold Coast Sports Awards, recognising athletes who have achieved at the very highest level of competition over the past year.
From world champions and Olympians to record-breaking juniors and inspirational para-athletes, this year’s finalist list reflects a city firmly cemented as one of Australia’s premier sporting hubs.
Athlete of the Year: World-Class Performers on the Global Stage
The Gold Coast Athlete of the Year category features a formidable group of athletes whose performances in 2025 resonated both nationally and internationally.
Ironman legend Ali Day headlines the category following a remarkable farewell season, claiming victory at the inaugural Shaw and Partners Coolangatta Gold 25.6 before announcing his retirement from elite competition. His final year was capped by induction into the Surf Life Saving Australia Hall of Fame, recognising a career that redefined endurance sport.
Teenage skateboarding phenomenon Arisa Trew continues to shatter ceilings, becoming the most decorated female skateboarder in X Games history at just 15 years of age. Her dominance across park and vert disciplines has reinforced the Gold Coast’s reputation as a breeding ground for action-sport excellence.
Boxing powerhouse Jai Opetaia delivered a statement year, defending his IBF and Ring Magazine cruiserweight world titles with a series of emphatic knockout victories on home soil, maintaining his undefeated professional record and solidifying his status among the sport’s global elite.
Swimming superstar Kaylee McKeown further entrenched her legacy with double world championship gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke, while Matt Rowell etched his name into AFL history by claiming the 2025 Brownlow Medal and leading the Gold Coast Suns to their first-ever finals campaign.
Together, the Athlete of the Year finalists represent sustained excellence, resilience, and an unwavering commitment to performance at the highest level.
Para-Athlete of the Year: Excellence Through Adversity
The Gold Coast Parasport Athlete of the Year category showcases extraordinary achievements underpinned by resilience and determination.
World-record-breaking swimmer Alexa Leary headlines the field after claiming gold at the World Para Swimming Championships in Singapore, continuing her inspirational return to elite sport following a life-altering accident in 2021.
Triathlete Jack Howell enjoyed a breakthrough year, winning multiple World Triathlon Para Series medals and rising to world number one in the PTS5 category. Surfer Kai Colless impressed on the world stage with a silver medal at the ISA World Para Surfing Championships, while cyclist Kai Sakakibara’s remarkable comeback saw him crowned Australian Para-Cycling National Champion just five years after a near-fatal crash.
Paralympic gold medallist Tom Gallagher rounds out the finalists following a medal-laden World Para Swimming Championships, reinforcing his place among the world’s best S10-class swimmers.
Junior Athlete of the Year: The Next Generation of Champions
The future of Gold Coast sport is on full display in the Gold Coast Junior Athlete of the Year category, featuring athletes already excelling on the world stage.
Swimming standout Ainsley Trotter delivered Australia’s first gold medal at the World Junior Swimming Championships, while surfers Caden Francis impressed internationally with a bronze medal at the ISA World Junior Championships.
Skateboarding continues to shine with finalists Chloe Covell and Arisa Trew, both claiming major international victories, while tennis prodigy Emerson Jones made a seamless transition into the professional ranks, reaching a career-high WTA ranking inside the world’s top 150.
The finalists will be celebrated at the 57th Gold Coast Sports Awards, where winners across all categories will be crowned, continuing a proud tradition of recognising sporting excellence, resilience, and community impact across the region.
With world champions, emerging stars and inspirational stories across every category, the 2026 Gold Coast Sports Awards promise to be a powerful celebration of a city driven by sport
Do you want to see the Gold Coast’s future heroes crowned on sport’s biggest stage? To secure your table for this prestigious evening, we encourage early booking.