Georgia Harris wins Sportswoman of the Year and a $5000 Olympic-pathway scholarship
ON Track Running athlete Georgia Harris has been named the Redlands’ 2026 Sportswoman of the Year – and received a $5000 boost to chase her green-and-gold dream.
Harris was recognised at Saturday night’s Redlands Coast Sporting Hall of Fame and Sporting Awards, where Olympic gold medallist Natalie Cook announced the local athlete would receive a $5000 scholarship from the Aussie Athlete Fund.
Cook, the first Australian woman to compete at five Olympic Games, said the financial pressure on elite athletes was enormous.
“There are athletes wearing the green and gold who simply cannot afford the cost,” she said.
“The financial burden is quite extreme for many of our athletes – they are paying to play for Australia.”
Young diving star gets $1k boost
Cook said the Aussie Athlete Fund would provide a $5000 donation each year until 2032 to a Redlands athlete on the pathway to an Olympic or Paralympic Games.
“Tonight, that scholarship goes to Georgia (Harris),” she said.
“We are incredibly proud of her achievements, and I know that travelling to New Zealand to train is probably costing her and her family thousands of dollars.
“From the Aussie Athlete Fund, we hope this helps, and we look forward to supporting many Redlands athletes into the future.”
The awards night also marked the launch of the Redlands Coast Sporting Hall of Fame and Sporting Awards Pass It Forward Fund, aimed at helping young Redlands athletes pursue their sporting ambitions.
Australian diving star Maggie Grey is the first athlete to be awarded $1000 from the Pass It Forward Fund.
Cr Peter Mitchell said the initiative was deeply personal, drawing on his own childhood experience of growing up in a poor family while finding confidence, resilience and friendships through sport.
“I don’t want a young Redlander – with more talent than I ever had and the chance to step onto perhaps the world stage – to be limited by the size of their bank account,” Cr Mitchell said.
He said community donations help build the fund so future athletes can benefit.
“Old stars, new stars – let’s help back the next generation,” he said.
