After six weeks of voting, Nickelodeon unveiled kids’ favourite athletes during a one-hour special that premiered on Nickelodeon and FOX SPORTS 503 on Monday 20th November 2017.
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Sports Awards was hosted by Fox Sports presenter Tara Rushton and Australian Ninja Warrior Jack Wilson, with the pair revealing the winners of eleven uniquely unconventional categories as voted Australian and Kiwi kids.
Male and female athletes from a variety of sports took out the top honours in this slime-filled celebration of sports stars, including two honorary categories with Australian athletics champion Sally Pearson achieving the highest accolade, taking home the Absolute Legend award and Yamba-based young cricketer Marc Reichler-Stillhard winning the second honorary award, for Local Legend.
The Local Legend award recognises that the sporting spirit goes far beyond the field, Marc’s win celebrates his love of the game and demonstrates how his sporting passion has brought an entire community together. Marc, who has Down syndrome, has continuously broken down the barriers between sport and people living with a disability.
Nickelodeon’s Kids’ Choice Sports 2017 also saw two professional netball stars take home coveted mohawked blimps: 21-year-old professional netball player Jamie-Lee Price was named the Next Big Thing, and kiwi legend Laura Langman received enough public votes to be named the Hands of Gold winner.
Below are the winners of Nickelodeon Australia and New Zealand's Kids’ Choice Sports 2017:
Sibling Superstars
These powerhouse pairs totally scored in the DNA-game. They’re not just rad, they’re related. On field, they’re prodigies, off-field, they’re family!
Barrett Brothers – Beauden, Scott & Jordie (Rugby Union)
#Hero
These certified superheroes of sport possess powers beyond ordinary humans, inspiring superfans of all ages with their hardcore heroics.
Cameron Smith (NRL)
Sickest Moves
These legends do stuff that isn’t humanly possible. In their sporting field, they’ve not only got the sickest skills, they’ve got the sickest moves!
Caroline Buchanan (BMX)
Clutch Player
When it comes to the crunch, these players never crumble. They’re the match winners, the unstoppables. When the game is on the line, they can be counted on to snatch victory every time.
Johnathan Thurston (NRL)
Commentary Boss
Trapped in a tiny glass box, these maestros of the microphone weave words like wizards. They know every play and every player, delivering whatever it takes in just one take, every time!
Andrew Voss (Fox League)
Next Big Thing
These superstars of the future are on the rise; this award could be all it takes to rocket them from the field into folklore.
Jamie-Lee Price (Netball)
Hands of Gold
These palm-ministers were born with fingers of fury. They drop nothing, they stop everything – their limbs are legendary!
Laura Langman (Netball)
Hardest Hitter
No ball is safe from destruction when these powerhouse players are in their element. Their physical prowess defies the laws of physics. They don’t just hit it out of the park, they hit it off the planet.
Nick Kyrgios (Tennis)
Need for Speed
Time has no power over these powerhouse speedsters. Blink and you’ll miss them, they’re aces of pace!
Daniel Ricciardo (Formula 1)
Ground Breakers
These legendary players have excelled at not just one, but TWO sporting codes. They’ve broken ground on multiple sporting grounds!
Ellyse Perry (Cricket and Football)
All Star Benchwarmer
These legends love sport to the max. If they weren’t already fully famous in their own field, they could have been all-star MVPs on the field.
Mel McLaughlin
Honorary Categories
Absolute Legend:
Sally Pearson (Athletics)
Inspiring kids everywhere with her never-say-die attitude, SALLY PEARSON has defied the odds, ignored the naysayers and overcome the impossible to earn a permanent place as a Kids' Choice Sports ABSOLUTE LEGEND.
Local Legend:
Marc Reichler-Stillhard (Cricket and Football)
Sometimes the sporting spirit goes far beyond the field. This honorary award celebrates a very special kid whose love of the game has brought together an entire community.
Congratulations to all the winners of Kids’ Choice Sports 2017!
