Tim ‘The Goss’ Gossage in for Mid West sports awards

“The goss” is no longer that — the rumour will become a reality.

Sports personality Tim Gossage is coming to Geraldton to MC the 2019 and 48th Geraldton Guardian Mid West Sports Awards.

The awards, the premier event on the Mid West sporting calendar, will be held at the Queens Park Theatre on Friday, November 15.

“This will be the third year I have been the MC, I just love it — it’s a fun night where people love to share their stories,” Gossage said.

“Everybody knows the Mid West produces top footballers, but it’s a rich region for so many other sports.

“When I first heard some of the (sporting) identities who had come from Geraldton and surrounds, I was gobsmacked.

“There are so many.

“Whether it’s at an international, national or State level, there have been many outstanding sportsmen and women who have come from the Midwest.

“I have enormous admiration for them and what they have done in their chosen fields.”

One of those is Caroline Ashby, pictured, the 2018 Midwest Sports senior sports star of the year.

Attendees at the awards were gobsmacked when they were told about the training and competitive programs of Ashby, who is known as the Eneabba Express to some and as the Warradarge Wonder to others.

She lives on a family property between the two Midwest areas.

A mother of two, Ashby, 42, is a leading female triathlete, finishing in prominent positions in world events.

However, it is her training routine which blows people away.

She trains on, and around, the property her family manages, swimming in a dam, running around a wheat paddock, working out in a shed known as The Furnace, and riding her bike to Jurien Bay on sealed and unsealed roads.

Little wonder she won the top gong — the Crothers Construction Senior Sports Star of the Year — and $5000 last November.

There are another 11 categories in the awards: the Karara Mining Junior Sports Star of the Year; the Geraldton Greenough Financial Services Team of the Year; the Sportfirst Coach of the Year; the Young Motors Administrator of the Year; the Ian Blayney MLA Official of the Year; the Bylund Club of the Year; the ATLAS Inclusion Award; the Mid West Academy of Sport Athlete of the Year; the Brian “Putter” Smith Sports Personality of the Year (Ray White Geraldton sponsored); the Geraldton Guardian Local Achiever’s Award; and the Mid West Sports Federation Mid West Hall of Fame.

Nominations close on Friday, October 25.

See mwsf.org.au for award criteria, nominations, tickets and event details, or contact Sue Patman at the MWSFederation on 9956 2178 or mwsf@sportshouse.net.au.