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Success for sailing champion

Headshot of Michael Philipps
Michael PhilippsSouth Western Times

WORLD sailing champion Will Drew claimed the annual Myles Junior Sports Star of the Year award ahead of a star-studded field at the presentation night at the Bunbury City Council on Wednesday night.

Will was a finalist for the second-straight year, having won both the WA and New South Wales State sailing championships as well as the team event in Lake Garda, Italy at the World Sailing Championships earlier this year.

Will said he was proud to receive the award considering the accomplishments of the finalists.

“I am ecstatic, it is a real honour to win this award,” he said.

“I know the award has been going along for a while but to be engraved in that history is a real honour.”

Will credited his family for introducing him to sailing.

“I am actually a third-generation sailor,” he said.

“My dad sailed and his dad also sailed so it is kind of in my blood.

“When I was younger I saw my dad out sailing and I just thought I want to do that.”

Will said the social aspect of sailing was what he enjoyed most about the sport.

“The friends that you get to meet along the way make it a lot of fun,” he said.

“The places you get to go are fun and you get to sail in a lot of different conditions.”

Will said he was looking forward to his next challenge.

“My new goal is Olympic-class sailing and hopefully I will be able to compete at that level,” he said.

Will finished ahead of runner-up Mikayla Horan who was nominated after winning gold in the open division hammer throw and bronze in the under-18 hammer throw at the Oceania Athletics Championships in Fiji earlier this year.

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