SLSA National Awards of Excellence 2023

Surf Sport Youth Athlete of the Year – Conner Maggs, Newport SLSC, NSW

Text below was posted on the SLSA website on November 4, 2023 at 9:08 pm

Selected on both State and Australian representative teams during the 2022/23 season, Conner has played key roles as a standout athlete, as well as a role model and mentor for his teammates. Throughout the Interstate Championships, Conner achieved five gold and two silver medals across events in the ocean, playing a pivotal role in the ultimate win by NSW. Further proving his strong presence as an athlete, Conner was selected to wear the green and gold and represent Australia in the Pathways team, who travelled to Queensland this year to battle it out with New Zealand in the Inaugural Battle of the Tasman event.

Named the Male Athlete of the Carnival at the 2023 Australian Championships after making 12 finals. Connor walked away with no less than eight gold medals, marking himself as the first youth athlete to win all U17 male water events. Further highlighting his promise and determination, Conner took out the 2022 Coolangatta Gold Open Short Course event despite being only 17 years of age. Continuing to prove age is no deterrent by competing as the youngest male competitor in the 2022-2023 Nutri Grain Ironman Series.

During school holidays, Conner holds coaching and skills sessions for Northern Beaches Nippers who are keen to improve their body surfing and craft skills.

This season has also been a steep learning curve of personal development for Conner, balancing school, lifesaving, training and travelling to many significant competition events and NSW and Australian representative teams. He has also had to continuously evolve his physical and psychological training and preparation to allow him to compete against bigger, more experienced athletes, seeking out every opportunity to take on advice and mentorship from his coaches, senior members of his club and past champions.

AOE 2023 – Surf Sport Award Winners – Surf Life Saving (sls.com.au)