Indigenous Sports Awards return to Sydney to celebrate community and athlete excellence

Nat Heath founded TriMob in 2020 to encourage Indigenous Australians to participate in triathlons and marathons.

Heath, a Noongar and Martujarra man, started the organisation after competing in six ironman events following a diagnosis of Guillian-Barre Syndrome. He noticed a lack of Indigenous people in the sport and wanted to create a culturally safe avenue for others to join. The organisation operates a program called Mob the Marathon to train participants across Australia for the Sydney Marathon.

Participants like Talisha Godwin report that the group provides a supportive community for beginners. Godwin noted that the group uses a mantra to help members stay motivated during difficult training days and offers a sense of solidarity during the actual race. The National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Sports Awards (NATSISAs) will recognize TriMob as a nominee for Team of the Year.

These awards, established in 1986 by Charles Perkins, use sport to bring different people together and celebrate the achievements of First Nations athletes. Nathan Lovett-Murray currently organizes the event, which returns to Sydney for the first time since 2001. The ceremony takes place on Gadigal land at the Sydney Cricket Ground. Lovett-Murray aims to attract more sponsors and organizations to support the growth of Indigenous athletes nationwide.

This year's event features Cathy Freeman as the keynote speaker and includes categories such as the Lifetime Achievement award and the National Trailblazer award.