Mathew Belcher wins coveted Gold Coast Sports Award

by Bronwen Hemmings on 3 Mar 2017 Olympic Gold and Silver Medallist Mathew Belcher, OAM expanded his extensive list of achievements and awards last night, winning the Mayor’s Sports Award.

Presented at the Gold Coast’s Annual Sports Star of the Year Awards at the QT Hotel, Belcher was ecstatic at being recognised with such an honour in him home city.

“I was absolutely ecstatic to be nominated for this prestigious award, let alone win the award. The Gold Coast has always been my home, so to be awarded the Mayor’s Sports Award sits very deeply with me.

“Mayor Tom Tate is a great advocate for sport on the Gold Coast and I would like to thank him personally for the award.

“I would also like to thank everyone who has supported me along the way, especially Bond University and Southport Yacht Club.

“We live in a wonderful city with so many opportunities provided for those pursuing their sporting dreams. I am really lucky to be able to call Gold Coast home,” said Mathew.

The awards add to Belcher’s impressive list of achievements highlighted by a gold at the 2012 London Olympics, silver at Rio de Janeiro Olympics last year along with his remarkable effort as a seven-times sailing World Champion.

The 2013 ISAF World Sailor of the Year cultivated his career at the Southport Yacht Club where he is a long-time member.

The 34-year-old currently mentors the Sailing Academy’s High Performance Program in between his own 470 Dinghy training commitments.

“We are so ecstatic for Mathew on this fantastic achievement, SYC General Manager Brett James said.

“It was an honour for myself and Commodore Kerry Noyes to be present with Mathew and Rike as he won this award.

“Mathew is such an integral part of the team at SYC, our youth sailors are improving in leaps and bounds since he came on board as the Club’s Performance Program Mentor, congratulations Mat.”