{"id":29330,"date":"2023-08-15T10:27:08","date_gmt":"2023-08-15T00:57:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/sa\/?p=29330"},"modified":"2023-08-15T10:27:08","modified_gmt":"2023-08-15T00:57:08","slug":"jayden-kemp-awarded-evonne-goolagong-cawley-medal-of-excellence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.tennis.com.au\/sa\/news\/2023\/08\/15\/jayden-kemp-awarded-evonne-goolagong-cawley-medal-of-excellence","title":{"rendered":"Jayden Kemp awarded Evonne Goolagong Cawley Medal of Excellence"},"content":{"rendered":"

The fourth edition of the National Indigenous Tennis Carnival<\/strong> (NITC) in Darwin concluded on Sunday, with Wiradjuri tennis legend Evonne Goolagong Cawley <\/strong>and Tennis NT President and Kamilaroi man Steve Rossingh<\/strong> on hand to present the champions with their trophies.<\/p>\n

Celebrating the cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people through tennis, the NITC was first launched in 2018 and is an annual four-day event centred around culture, community, tennis, education and wellbeing.<\/p>\n

South Australia\u2019s Jayden Kemp<\/strong> was presented with the event\u2019s highest individual honour, the Evonne Goolagong Cawley Medal of Excellence <\/strong>for his outstanding leadership, connection, and behaviour on-and-off court. Teammate Malachi Varcoe<\/strong> was announced as the South Australian winner of the peer voted \u2018Deadly Awards\u2019.<\/p>\n

As a team, South Australia<\/strong>\u00a0finished third in the\u00a0Ash Barty Cup<\/strong> for participation and effort, and finished as runners up in the Future Stars<\/strong> tournament.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s such an honour to be awarded the Evonne Goolagong Cawley Medal of Excellence,\u201d Kemp said.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis event was very special. We did a bunch of different things including cultural activities which really got us connected to the land. Sadly our friends from Canteen Creek weren\u2019t here with us this year, but we really connected with the Tiwi Island kids.<\/p>\n

\u201cI am super proud of the team. Seeing these people open up, grow and have a lot of fun is what this is all about.<\/p>\n

\u201cI first took part in the NITC when I was 14 years old and I was lucky enough to be the runner up in the 14-and-under event that year. Last year, going back and meeting everyone again was amazing and to be a part of the team to win the Ash Barty Cup was a huge honour.<\/p>\n

\u201cBeing my last year in the team, I really wanted to make this year special. I did have the idea of the medal in my head before going to Darwin, but I never imagined actually getting it. It was pretty special to hear my name called out.\u201d<\/p>\n

National Indigenous Tennis Carnival 2023 final results<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Team South Australia
\n<\/em><\/strong>Madison Ah Chee
\nJamain Agius
\nMia Dodd
\nJayden Kemp
\nKeeral McKenzie
\nNamallari McKenzie
\nSam Todd
\nSophie Todd
\nMalachi Varcoe<\/p>\n

Matthew Fitzgerald \u2013 Team Manager
\nJessica Gardner \u2013 Team Manager<\/p>\n

18-and-under championships
\n<\/strong>Girls:<\/strong> [1] Giselle Kawane (Qld) def. [2] Sophie Foster (NSW) 6-1 6-1
\nBoys: <\/strong>[1] Charlie Pade (NSW) def. [2] Quincy Kahn (NSW) 6-0 6-1<\/p>\n

14-and-under championships
\n<\/strong>Mixed:<\/strong> [1] Lewis Murray (Vic) def. [2] Ryan Bolger (Qld) 5-3 Ret.<\/p>\n

Evonne Goolagong Cawley Medal of Excellence (leadership)
\n<\/em><\/strong>Jayden Kemp (SA)<\/p>\n

Ash Barty Cup (aggregate best performing on-court team)
\n<\/em><\/strong>New South Wales<\/p>\n

Deadly Award winners (peer voted)
\n<\/em><\/strong>ACT: Xavier Williams-Arena
\nNSW: Jacob Issaoui Slade
\nQld: Kelsey Weribone
\nSA: Malachi Varcoe
\nVic: Tyrese Walsh
\nTas: Hunter Richardson
\nWA: Mitch Durant
\nNT: Kimally Puruntatameri (Tiwi Islands)<\/p>\n

Additional information on the 202<\/em><\/strong>3<\/em><\/strong> NITC<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n