Two outstanding Richmondites have been recognized with prestigious Sport BC accolades at the 55th Annual Athlete of the Year Awards.
McMath secondary’s Marina Radocaj was named the High School Female Athlete of the Year for her achievements in volleyball and basketball.
While Olympic bronze medallist race walker Evan Dunfee was named the Male Athlete of the Year at the recent awards at the Vancouver Convention Centre East.
In her acceptance speech via video, Marina – who has a string of high school tournament MVPs to her name – said she was “blessed with amazing parents” and a brother who continues to push her to “work harder and be the best I can be.”
“I always hold myself accountable as a role model to all the up-and-coming female athletes, to show them that we can have athletic success as women,” she added.
“It’s truly an honour to be recognized (and) I hope to inspire future athletes to strive to achieve goals.”
Chasing dreams made Dunfee into who he is today
Dunfee, meanwhile, tweeted that “Chasing after my dreams has transformed me into the person I am today.
“I’m grateful for my parents, Gerry, teammates, support team, my whole community & Sara for guiding, inspiring, and motivating me through this journey.”
The awards - hosted by CBC’s Scott Russell – recognize the province’s best in amateur sport including athletes, coaches, teams, and officials for outstanding performances in their sport in either 2021 or 2022 season.
Each finalist was nominated by their provincial or multi-sport organization, high school, college, or university.
