(Image: Pierre Comis, NSW Office of Sport with Triathlon Athlete of the Year Hayley Foley)
Western Sydney Academy of Sport has celebrated the achievements of its athletes, coaches and community at its 2026 Annual Awards, with Para athlete Layla Sharp taking home both Athlete of the Year and Athlete with a Disability Award.
Held at Wenty Leagues Club on Thursday 10 September, the annual awards brought together over 230 athletes, families, coaches, partners, supporters and community representatives to recognise another outstanding year for the Western Sydney Academy of Sport (WSAS).
Sharp’s recognition caps an incredible year for the emerging Para athlete, who has continued to make significant progress since making her international debut at the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships. After competing in the T38 200m and 400m at the World Championships, Sharp took on the long jump as a new event and quickly made her mark, breaking the Australian T38 Long Jump record with a leap of 4.64m at the ACT Championships. The record had stood for more than a decade.
Her rapid progression was further recognised when she was named Commonwealth Games Australia’s Emerging Athlete of the Month. The 18-year-old then achieved a major milestone with selection to represent Australia at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in the Women’s T38 Long Jump, earning her first Australian senior team selection.
Sharp’s success extends beyond her performances on the track and field, with her professionalism, resilience, work ethic and positive influence on teammates also recognised through the Athlete of the Year award.
WSAS Regional Manager, Martin Bullock said Sharp’s achievements reflected both her sporting ability and the qualities she brings to the Academy.
“Layla’s progression over the past year has been exceptional. To break an Australian record, make her international mark and earn Australian senior team selection at just 18 is an incredible achievement,”
The evening also recognised excellence across the Academy’s sporting programs, with 11 Sport Awards presented to athletes and officials across BMX, Golf, Rowing, Volleyball, Future Champions, Hockey, Netball, Triathlon and Softball.
2026 WSAS Award Winners:
- Athlete of the Year: Layla Sharp
- Athlete with a Disability Award: Layla Sharp
- UAA Indigenous Athlete of the Year: Zachary Isaako
- Leadership Award: Charlotte Murphy
- Coach Leadership Award: Matthew Beach
- WSU Excellence in Education Award: Sukhreet Sandhu
- BMX Athlete of the Year: Jarvis Mangan
- Golf Athlete of the Year: Jessica Fog
- Rowing Athlete of the Year: Ellie Taylor
- Volleyball Athlete of the Year: Harroop Kaur
- Future Champions Athlete of the Year: Sophie Polkinghorne
- Hockey Athlete of the Year: Oscar Taylor
- Digital Realty Netball Athlete of the Year: Akur Malueth
- Digital Realty Netball Umpire of the Year: Ruby Bowen
- Triathlon Athlete of the Year: Hayley Foley (pictured)
- Softball Athlete of the Year: Addison Finnimore
- Softball Umpire of the Year: Natasha Mobbs
A special highlight of the evening was hearing from WSAS alumnus and Paralympic medallist Gordon Allan, who joined MC Sarah Ryan OAM for a Q&A about his journey through sport and the high-performance pathway.
Allan joined WSAS in 2014 as the Academy’s first Para athlete, receiving support as he developed within the sport and progressed along the high-performance pathway. He went on to represent Australia at the Tokyo 2020 and Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, winning a bronze medal in Paris. More recently, he made his Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow, winning silver in the Men’s Track Relay.
His story provided a powerful reflection of the role regional academies can play in supporting young athletes from Western Sydney to develop their potential and progress towards the international stage.
The awards also recognised the contribution of long-serving WSAS staff, coaches and program personnel, with Joanne Beach acknowledged for 10 years of service, while Robyn Winn, Bradley Ward, Chris Page, Kevin Sturgiss, Alex Cameron and Donna Flemming were recognised for five years of service.
The evening was supported by WSAS’s network of partners and stakeholders, including the NSW Office of Sport, UAA, Greater Bank, Western Sydney University, Paralympics Australia, NSW Institute of Sport, Blacktown City Council, City of Parramatta, Penrith City Council, Parramatta Leagues Club, Fairfield City Council, Blue Mountains City Council and Hawkesbury City Council, alongside WSAS program partners.
The event highlighted not only the performances achieved by WSAS athletes throughout the year, but the broader community of coaches, families, schools, sporting organisations, councils and partners who support their development.
Photo credit: Luke Fuda
