Swimmer Ryan Cochrane of Victoria, who won two gold medals at the 2015 Toronto Pan Am Games and two medals at the world aquatics championships in Kazan, Russia, is up for sa国际传媒 male athlete of the year. Also nominated are Benjamin Thorne of Kitimat, surprise bronze-medallist in the race-walk at the world track and field championships in the Bird鈥檚 Nest at Beijing, and speedskater Denny Morrison of Fort St. John, who won two silver medals at the 2015 world championships in the Netherlands after surviving a harrowing motorcycle crash in May that he can鈥檛 remember and which left him with a permanent steel rod in his leg.
The national lacrosse champion Victoria Shamrocks are nominated for team of the year, along with the CIS-champion UBC Thunderbirds football and women鈥檚 cross-country teams.
Shamrocks mentor Bob Heyes and Cochrane鈥檚 late swim coach Randy Bennett of Victoria, who died of cancer at age 51, are up for male coach of the year and triathlon鈥檚 Carolyn Murray of Victoria for female coach.
Standout post-player Chris McLaughlin, who commanded the key for the UVic Vikes in basketball, is up for university athlete of the year, along with Quinn van Gylswyk of Victoria, who kicked the winning field goal in the Vanier Cup for the UBC Thunderbirds.
Graydon Robb of the VIU Mariners, the Canadian collegiate badminton player of the year, is nominated in the college category. The basketball/rugby/soccer all-rounder Graeme Hyde-Lay of SMUS is up for high school athlete of the year. Louise Kennedy of Brentwood Bay, from synchronized swimming, is nominated as official of the year.
Balloting was conducted by a selection panel, chaired by Bernie Pascall, of media and amateur sports officials from across the province.
The 50th annual Sport sa国际传媒 awards will be presented March 10 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. Also to be announced that night is the top sa国际传媒 pro athlete of the year, as voted by the panel.
