Kiara Dean celebrated her 2024 Senior Sportstar of the Year award with father Nick. Photo: Jordan Townrow.
For the third time, Kiara Dean is an Echuca Moama Sportstar of the Year.
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After taking out the junior award in 2018 and the senior gong in 2022, Dean was once again named Senior Sportstar of the year at the 2024 awards night on Monday, March 3.
“(I’m) absolutely thrilled,” Dean said.
“It was something that was a little bit unexpected, but really, a great honour.”
Having now won the senior award twice, Dean is ineligible to take the honour in future years under the award criteria.
Kiara Dean was the flag bearer at the Universal Trench World Championships in France. Photo: Kiara Dean.
The local trap shooter put together a phenomenal 2024, beginning with a silver medal at the ISSF national titles in January, one of the domestic qualifiers for the Olympic Games in Paris.
Dean was well in the mix for qualification for the Games, eventually finishing sixth in a stacked Australian women’s shooting scene.
“It was my first Olympic cycle, so much of it was just getting lots of experience out of it,” Dean said.
“The calibre of women’s shooting in Australia is world-class.
“Penny (Smith), Latisha (Scanlan), Catherine (Skinner), they’re as good as it gets.
“If you can stand next to them, you’re up there with the world’s best, so I absolutely got a lot of experience out of the last 12 months and out of the Olympic cycle and it’s given me a good idea of what we’ve got in store for the next couple of years.”
Dean continued to hit career milestones throughout 2024, selected to fly the Australian flag at the Universal Trench World Championships in France in August.
Dean continued to make strides in trap shooting throughout 2024, making off with a slew of medals at national and international shoots. Photo: Steve Huntley.
She also came home with medals from an international competition in Taipei, as well as a slew of strong results in state and national events.
“The last 12 months have been massive,” Dean said.
“Not only in competition, but preparation wise, I’ve been putting a lot of work in behind the scenes, working a lot with world-class professionals that have been setting me up and getting me ready for what I’ve got ahead.”
A veterinary nurse at Echuca and Moama Veterinary Clinic, Dean effectively balances work and sport and was named the Bendigo TAFE student of the year.
“I think it’s really important to have a healthy career-sport balance,” she said.
“Unfortunately with shooting, you’re never really going to be in a position where you can go full-time professional, you always do need to have a career.
“Shooting Australia have that professional atmosphere where we will do lots of international travel and work will go on hold every now and again, but I’m really lucky and fortunate with my work that they do support me in that.”
Senior Sportstar of the Year Kiara Dean. Photo: Jordan Townrow.
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Jordan Townrow
In February, Dean was named to the 2025 national trap squad and since the awards night on Monday, she was selected to compete at the South America World Cups in Beunos Aires, Argentina and Lima, Peru in April.
It is yet another step forward for the local star, who is already looking forward to another Olympic qualifying campaign.
“The world cups and the world championships are all in preparation for (Olympic qualifying),” she said.
“It’s not just the scores that will go on the board for it, it’s the experience that we’re getting from these world competitions.”
Dean beat out nominees Jack Matthews, Grace Hammond, Cassandra Millerick, Fletcher Ball, Emma Simmonds, Alexis Gregor, Jack Russell, Olivia Cartwright, and Jobe Shanahan to claim the award.
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