January 27, 2017
A second generation wood chopper who has been competing in timbersport competitions for the past 10 years has been named the South Burnett’s Sportsperson Of The Year.
Mitch Argent, 22, from Blackbutt, is one of Australia’s top eight axemen.
His commitment to training and motivation to be the best has seen him part of the Stihl Timbersport Series teams since 2015.
Last year, he won the Queensland Underhand Chop title at his home show in Blackbutt, then went on to gain selection in the Australian team to take part in international competitions in Germany and New Zealand.
Mitch’s advice to others about how he achieves his wins is to “start flat out and get faster!”
Other nominations for the Senior Sportsperson Award were:
- Joanne-Marie Olsen – Joanne, from Kingaroy, has been tenpin bowling since 1997 and plays at state and national competition levels. During 2016, Joanne earned gold and silver medals in the National Restricted Teams Challenge, where she was the female point score runner-up and combined point score winner. Joanne also won an award playing in the Queensland Restricted Masters Champion Nationals All Star Team.
- Jayde Novak – Jayde comes from Kingaroy and recently completed Year 12 at St Mary’s Catholic College. Over the past 12 months she has participated in many equestrian events and she travels extensively throughout the year to compete at shows and competitions including Maleny, Pittsworth, Caboolture, Kingaroy, Wondai, Warwick, Nerang, the Ekka and the Nationals Interschool. Jayde was vice captain of the Interschool dressage team and was invited to Brisbane by Equestrian Queensland for the elite squad conference where she met the Rio Olympians in dressage, show jumping and cross country. She also assists many young riders, helps organise events and lends her horse to others to ride in major events.
- Taylah Curley – Taylah has just completed year 12 at Kingaroy State High School where she was the Youngman House Captain and an active member of the Recreation Committee. In 2016, Taylah captained the All Schools Touch team in Brisbane. She also excels in athletics and touch football and was given a special award for Leadership, Sport and Study at last October’s KSHS speech night, and was also awarded Sportsperson Of The Year at the KSHS sports night. Taylah also does well in cross country and swimming, and has been awarded swimming age champion every year since 2009. In 2016 she was KSHS girls 17 years athletics age champion and shot put champion, breaking the secondary school shot put record; represented Kingaroy and the South Burnett in 100, 200 and 400m plus discus; selected for Wide Bay team for discus at the State Titles; and represented her school and the South Burnett in the 18 years Touch team, which resulted in Wide Bay selection in Open Girls Touch Team. Taylah has also been a member of Little Athletics for the past 10 years, and coaches younger members in discus and shot put.
