Tekarie Albert was crowned Figure International Pro champion at the Natural Bodybuilding Australia Oceania Nationals. Photo: Supplied
This has been a momentous year of sport for Echuca-Moama and the surrounding region.
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From triumphant three-peats to the beginning of professional careers to excellence on the international stage, The Riv’s Oliver Shedden is counting down the top sport moments of 2024 to round out the year that was.
In this edition, we will unveil two honourable mentions and ranks 10-8.
Honourable mentions: a bodybuilding champion is born and local success in Murray Netball League grand finals
Narrowly missing out on the top 10 is former Echuca-Moama resident Tekarie Albert, who made an unbelievable start to her professional bodybuilding career by winning the Natural Bodybuilding Australia Oceania Championships in May.
Albert qualified for the amateur portion of the event after scoring two first-place medals and third overall in the ‘figure international’ category, a discipline of bodybuilding that focuses on muscle symmetry, conditioning and size, at the Queensland state show.
Her goal was to win her pro card which would qualify her for the professional competitions. She not only achieved that, but then went on to win the pro show the same evening.
She was then crowned the Oceanic Figure International Pro Champion.
Having already reached the highest honour within Natural Bodybuilding Australia, when she returns after a break, she indicated she would be targeting the International Fitness and Bodybuilding Federation, the premier bodybuilding federation in the world.
Also unlucky to crack the top 10 were the local netball sides who claimed flags in the Murray league grand finals on September 21.
Despite Moama losing to Rumbalara in the A-grade grand final, surrounding teams had better luck in the lower grades.
Tongala edged out Moama in a two-point B-grade thriller, with the Blues coming from behind in the fourth quarter to snatch it 57-55.
Tonny did a sweep of the lower senior grand finals, claiming the C-grade flag over Deniliquin Rams convincingly 46-23 and outlasting Echuca United in an instantly classic overtime final 50-42.
It was Moama’s time to shine in the junior grades as the Magpies struck gold in the 13s, 15s and 17s to claim all junior divisions.
Moama triumphed over Cobram 41-15 in the 13s and 41-29 in the 17s. It also beat Mulwala 45-29 in the 15s.
10: Tongala’s prodigal son returns
West Coast Eagles young gun Harley Reid returned in the off-season to where it all began, Tongala Primary School. Photo: Aidan Briggs.
Photo by
Aidan Briggs
West Coast Eagles star and 2023 number-one draft pick Harley Reid returned to his home town of Tongala during the AFL off-season.
During his visit, he stopped by his old stomping ground of Tongala Primary School to chat with students and catch up with his former teachers.
The 19-year-old had a whirlwind season out west, picking up an AFL Rising Star nomination, winning the AFL Players Association’s best first-year player and winning the NAB Goal of the Year at the AFL awards.
The goal of the year win granted Tongala Football Club $10,000 for being his junior club.
Reid reflected on being back in his home town after a life-changing year in an entirely new state and embarking on his AFL career.
“(Being in Tongala) is a lot better than being in a massive bubble over in Perth. The external noise there is a lot different from being at home,” he said.
“It’s good to have a break and get away from the go-go life.
“It’s been great to come back to an environment where I grew up, and it’s good to see all the support from Tongala throughout my first year.
“It’s pretty humbling to be in a position where these students look up to you and, for me, I was their age not too long ago as well, so I just want to do what I can to give back and thank them for all their support.”
9: Mathoura Bowls Club claims 56-year first
Mathoura Bowls Club claimed its first ever division one weekend pennant premiership. Photo: Supplied.
Mathoura Bowls Club snapped its 56-year dry spell in the division one weekend pennant, claiming its maiden title with a win over Tongala.
The Timbercutters overcame a slow start to beat the Bulls 62-55 after 63 ends, remarkably only winning one rink for the contest, with Peter Holzer skipping his quartet to a 26-11 win over the Barry Tinning-skipped Tongala.
Bradley Tinning led Tonny to a 23-19 win over Mathoura counterpart Mick Humphreys, while Matthew Liverton claimed success for Tonny in the remaining rink by defeating Jason McCloy’s foursome 21-17, but it wasn’t enough to get their side over the line.
For 87-year-old Timbercutter Arthur Murphy, the result is still yet to sink in, with the win more than four decades in the making for the Mathoura Bowls Club veteran.
“It was something that I strived for the last probably 45 years,” he said.
“I started playing in 1979 and it was an achievement that, I thought, had passed me by.
“It's still difficult to believe that we've won, but we have, we won fair and square, and also it was a pleasure to play against Tongala.
“To play Tongala (in the final), who were the raging hot favourites, we went in there with the belief that if we play good bowls we would have a chance, even though we were complete underdogs.”
8: Southern 80 races cancelled amid tough year for Australian water ski racing
Due to a NSW investigation, the Southern 80 has been cancelled for 2025. Photo: File
Photo by
Steve Huntley
Due to multiple casualties in the ski racing community, including one at the 2024 Southern 80, Ski Racing Australia suspended all water ski racing events until June 30, 2025.
In light of NSW Maritime and Ski Racing Australia investigations, the peak body paused events while the investigation runs its path.
Moama Water Sports Club will proceed with celebrations over the Southern 80 weekend, planned for March 21 to 23, 2025, as the weekend would have been the 60th anniversary of the event.
The club looks to continue to celebrate the history of the 80 on the same weekend with the traditional boat display as the main attraction of the 2025 event to be held on Saturday, March 22.
“We were planning our 60th-year celebration, so we decided we should continue with that and have a full-on boat show and still do our celebrations,” Moama Water Sports club president Steve Shipp said.
“It's about getting the ski racers and everyone together and obviously getting them back into Echuca-Moama.
“(It’s an) excellent opportunity for (the racers) all to catch up with each other and share stories, so we think it'll be a pretty big event, and we're going to make sure it is.
“That's what we were going to do for the 60th year celebration, so we’re just going to go full on and probably put more effort into it because we’ll have the time, not having to run the event at the same time.”
Check out ranks 7-4 in the next edition of The Riv.
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