AT THE tender age of 12, Wagga's Kate Gallaher takes pride in competing against girls twice her size in the pool.
One of the city's youngest but most outstanding water polo representatives, Gallaher was recently selected as a member of the NSW Country team to take on the Trans-Tasman Championships in Queensland.
"She's not a big girl, but she's very fast and she delivers a lot of power in the water," said Gallaher's mother Paula Shumack yesterday.
"She absolutely loved the championships, it was a big eye- opener for her to play against the stronger girls.
"She wants to see how far water polo can take her, and especially because water polo is beginning to emerge in Wagga as a sport that kids can do well in. Hopefully other kids will want to follow in her footsteps."
Gallaher's undeniable talent for water polo guaranteed her selection alongside the state's best under 17 years competitors, including fellow Wagga representatives Courtney Sayer, 17, and Leah Vertouris, 15.
At her first time representing the state, Gallaher was impressive against her interstate and New Zealand competitors.
For her efforts in breaking down age barriers, Gallaher was named as Junior Sportsperson of July when the Wagga Sports Awards were announced yesterday.
After her incredible efforts on the world stage, Wagga's wheelchair basketball queen Jess Pellow was named Senior Sportsperson for July.
The 18-year-old Mater Dei Catholic College student pulled off an amazing feat at the under-25s women's world championships in Canada last month, bringing home a silver medal with her Australian teammates.
The Australian guard exceeded her own expectations and cemented her place as one of the city's finest athletes.
With her silver medal in tow, Pellow is on the fast-track to the Australian Paralympics team.
Meanwhile, as the Football Wagga season begins its winddown into finals, one team has emerged as the ultimate leader.
With 14 weeks of competition done and dusted, Tolland Wolves have overcome every challenge to remain undefeated and on top of the ladder.
Finishing runner-up to Lake Albert last season, the Wolves are on a mission to go one step further to claim the coveted premiership when the grand final rolls around on September 18.
The Wolves were recognised for their insatiable efforts yesterday and were given the nod for Senior Team of July, while Kooringal High School was awarded Junior Team for its efforts on the soccer field.
Kooringal put forth a tremendous effort to squash The Riverina Anglican College's three-year reign over the Wagga Opens Schoolboys Championships last month.
Claiming the title for a record 15th time, the Kooringal boys overcame firm favourites TRAC to steal the coveted title 2-1 at Gissing Oval.
Although Kooringal accepted the tag of underdog, it refused to be defined by it and pounced to claim the important victory.
The latest round of athletes are now in contention for the grand prize to be awarded at the Wagga Sports Awards ceremony on August 25. The Wagga Sports Awards are proudly sponsored by The Advertiser and Sportsmans Warehouse.
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