Winners crowned at The Examiner's Junior Sports Awards for 2022

Launceston's McKenzie went back-to-back after tying for the award with Alexander Creak last year.

A silver medal in the junior men's time trial at the UCI Road World Championships in Wollongong in September headlined his stellar 2022.

In January, he won the under-19 individual time trial and criterium races at the national road cycling championships in Ballarat.

Four months later, McKenzie went to Europe with the Australian junior development team and had a three-week experience with a Belgian team, plus a week with fellow Launceston cyclist Richie Porte in Monaco.

That was followed by a 10-day training camp with Team Jumbo-Visma in Slovenia.

Bailey finished 22nd at the Australian Junior Amateur Championship in South Australia.

She played well at the Australian Interstate Series in Victoria after making the women's state team.

The teenager also put in strong rounds following her Golf Australia invite to Western Australia for the Bowra and O'Dea Women's Classic.

Bailey also helps run a junior girls' clinic and is well-respected by her students.

Race walker Sam Lindsay and snooker and pool player Lilly Meldrum took out the male and female rising star awards.

South Esk swim coach John Pugh received the Ricky Ponting Service to Sport Shield which recognises volunteers.

Launceston's premiership-winning under-14 division one football side claimed the team of the year honour.

Trampolining star Leuca McLeod won the Phil Edwards Bursary after submitting an essay highlighting what his involvement in sport means to him.

The winners were selected following months of nominations.

Kookaburras great and Australia's Commonwealth Games flag-bearer Eddie Ockenden was guest speaker at the ceremony.

Tasmania's four-time Olympian shared his story via live link from Melbourne.

McKenzie was thrilled to pick up the male athlete of the year award for the second time in a row, after the 18-year-old won silver at the world championships.

"Just knowing I had a really clean run going into [the championships] after having a bit of a shocking time in Europe with sickness and injuries ... and having a good environment at the TIS and having good people around me, it makes a difference," he said.

Bailey was likewise pumped to receive the female athlete of the year honour which came as a shock.

The 17-year-old Bryce Gorham-coached golfer is hoping to go pro in her mid-20s, with this year's highlight being her first Australian Junior event in South Australia.

"I didn't really want to go because I really wanted to just be consistent and then I'd go away," she said.

"Now I've finally gone away and I had two good rounds - my first round and my last round."

Newstead Athletics' Lindsay broke three state records, collecting a silver medal in the under-15 3000-metre walk at the national championships.

In the lead-up to nationals, he collected gold in the under-16 3000m walk at the Athletics Victoria Country Championships in Ballarat.

He went on to win the handicap trophy in the under-16 5000m road race at the Australian Winter Walks Championships in Melbourne in September.

"I was a bit surprised but just really happy about it, it's a really nice achievement," he said of his rising star award.

The 14-year-old said his highlight was backing up his silver medal in the under-15 3000m at nationals after finishing runner-up last year.

Lindsay would love to go one better next year and has December's All Schools in Adelaide ahead.

Meldrum was stoked to take out the female rising star award.

"I can't believe it, I was not expecting it," she said.

"I'm very grateful to have this award and I know I was up against very good competition."

The youngster won the two state pool titles before competing at the under-21 world snooker championships where she finished runner-up.

The latter was her year's highlight and she explained she could have played in the under-18s but wanted to compete in the under-21s.

She competed in the Australian junior snooker championships in Albury in July and won the under-18 girls' championship for the third consecutive time.

Meldrum returns to Albury next week for pool nationals before heading to Thailand in March.

McKenzie, Bailey, Lindsay and Meldrum all thanked their parents and coaches for assisting with their success.

The Ricky Ponting Service to Sport Shield also came as a pleasant surprise for South Esk's Pugh.

He coaches swimmers aged 10 to 17 years three mornings per week at the Launceston Aquatic Centre.

His voluntary contribution to the club has extended more than a decade.

"I make a point of congratulating any swimmer when they get out of the water," he said.

"And I say 'but' and the but is the thing they've got to think about for next time.

"Then next time, they've got to tell me what they've been thinking about."

Pugh, a masters competitor, described swimming as peaceful.

"When I put my head down in the water and think about swimming, the rest of the world disappears," he said.

The Launceston under-14 footy side had a season to remember and won the team of the year gong.

Following their undefeated campaign, they beat Prospect Hawks 9.7 (61) to 4.3 (27) in the NTJFA grand final.

The Blues have won four consecutive flags.

Co-captain and midfielder Max Matthews said the group was over the moon.

He said the team's success came down to "everyone knowing each other, hard work and hard training twice a week."

Matthews said it was a relief when the final siren blew on grand final day.

"It was a great, all the boys were up and about, we were really excited to win it," he said.

"There was a bit of pressure on us because we hadn't lost a game."

Coach Josh Townsend was nominated for the Ricky Ponting shield for his efforts.

McLeod, who won the Phil Edwards Bursary, couldn't attend the ceremony because his trampolining continues to take him around the world.

He arrived in Bulgaria for the World Age Championships on Wednesday night where he'll compete for three and a half weeks.

He's in the number one spot in Australia's senior men's double-mini trampoline (DMT) team to compete in the capital Sofia.

The 17-year-old is also representing the nation in the under-22 trampoline.

DMT, which is similar to vault in men's gymnastics, involves running up to a small trampoline, completing two skills and then landing on a mat.

Trampoline is a separate discipline which involves bouncing and completing a routine of 10 skills.

McLeod has already enjoyed success in Europe this year, winning a silver medal in senior men's DMT at the Federation of International Gymnastics World Cup in Portugal in June.

McLeod was grateful for the community support he had received and thanked his parents and coaches.

Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content: