Jan. 23, 2025
With just under two weeks remaining before the 2024 Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner, the organizing committee is proud to publish the complete list of 68 individual winners and 52 teams to be recognized.
The full list of 2024 Ottawa Sports Awards winners, including their 2024 accomplishments, can be found within the awards history section.
These remarkable members of the community will be celebrated at the 2024 Ottawa Sports Awards Dinner, which will be held on February 5, 2025 at the Infinity Convention Centre.
Among the final awards to be announced are the Spirit of Sport Award, the Sport Endowment recipient, and the Special Recognition award.
The Spirit of Sport Award celebrates those who have set a meaningful example for others through their personal journey in sport. It is presented by longtime Ottawa Citizen sports reporter, Martin Cleary.
A gold medallist in wrestling at the 2015 Pan American Games, now 36-year old Morrison returned to the sport after a seven-year hiatus and won a national championship in 2023, setting her up for a year of training to qualify for the Paris Olympic Games in 2024. Her Ottawa community-based training is a uniquely holistic approach which has allowed her to fall in love with the sport in a new way.
“It’s about fun and the people in the community – that’s the real reason that we keep showing up, regardless of which goal we’re chasing at that time,” explained Morrison in an interview with the Ottawa Sports Pages. Morrison has also demonstrated her inspirational approach to sport as a program coordinator for Beat the Streets, a youth development program based out of Mississauga.
Since 2010, the Ottawa Sports Endowment has awarded $500 annually to help local sports organizations increase access to sport.
This year’s recipient is the Stick Together Program offered by the Nepean Nighthawks. The Nepean Nighthawks Stick Together program provides Indigenous kids with a chance to participate in the sport of field hockey. Focused on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission’s Calls to Action on sport, the program has been providing barrier-free access to Ottawa-area indigenous youth, including providing transportation, equipment, and coaches who have completed the Aboriginal Coaching Modules.
The Special Recognition Awards are for individuals or groups who have contributed notably to their sport community in unique ways, such that other Ottawa Sport Awards may not clearly capture their contributions.
This year’s recipient, Wendy Alexis, has established herself as one of the world’s fastest women. She won the gold medal in the 100 metres at the 2024 World Masters Athletics Championships, competing for the final time in the women’s 65-69 years old division. It was the sixth world championship gold medal of her career, and she added a silver medal in the 200m at the 2024 World Master’s.
Alexis has won an incredible 30 gold medals at the Canadian national championships, including two from 2024. This year, she will enter the 70-74 division and is poised to set a world record for that age group. A retired school teacher, this indomitable athlete trains with the Ottawa Lions.