Jackson Borg from Newport Surf Life Saving Club had plenty to smile about as he took home the Surf Sports Athlete of the Year Award at the Surf Life Saving NSW Awards of Excellence in Sydney.
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The annual Awards of Excellence honour outstanding achievements in all aspects of surf life saving, including surf sports. A record number of lifesavers from across NSW attended the event held in Sydney on 31 August.
Television personality and Surf Life Saving member, Tom Williams, hosted the evening. He shared the stage with the state’s top surf lifesavers as they were honoured in front of their peers.
The Athlete of the Year is a highly competitive award with all the finalists this season achieving considerable success on the state, national and international stage.
Newport’s Jackson Borg took out the award due to the consistency of his performance at every level of competition. He won from a group of eight finalists from across NSW.
“I’m super stoked. I didn’t expect to win the award. I’m glad all the hard work paid off.
“Everyone who was nominated are extremely amazing athletes, so I was just pleased to be in the running with them,” said Jackson Borg.
Not only is Jackson the 2019 NSW Open Ironman champion, his outstanding results across all levels of competition include gold in the NSW Interstate Board Race, the Interbranch Open Ironman and the Sydney Northern Beaches Taplin and Board Rescue events.
He brought home silver in the Open Ironman at the International Life Saving World Championships and the Ocean 6 Series Run Swim Run.
“In ten years’ time I still want to be competing in Ironman competition. I want to be solidified in the Nutri-Grain series - hopefully in the top five,” said Jackson.
Jackson was a member of the successful Australian Life Saving Open Team competing for the Sanyo Bussan International Lifesaving Cup in Japan. This was the third time he represented Australia and returned with a swag of medals.
As well as spending countless hours training, he is an active and popular member of the Newport Surf Life Saving Club, promoting positivity and perseverance in everyone.
“I also want to help all the younger guys at the surf club. Help them to hopefully be where I’m at. It’s extremely important for me to be able to give back to the surf club.
“It’s a goal of mine to be a good role model for the younger kids,” said Jackson.
Jackson has spent a lot of time passing on his skills and surf knowledge as an instructor and team leader with the Surf Life Saving Sydney Northern Beaches education team.
“It’s great to be fit and to be able to compete at a high level but it’s awesome to be able to help someone in trouble and potentially safe a life. It’s the foundation of what we do,” Jackson concluded.
Friday 6 September 2019