They were selected from a pool of about 200 applications Statewide, from towns as far apart as Exmouth, Port Hedland, Esperance, Kalbarri, Mount Barker, Kukerin, Dumbleyung, Waroona and Margaret River.

The Wheatbelt’s 2009 recipients included lawn bowlers Matthew France from Merredin, Aaron Smith and Justin Smith from York, as well as Chaise Ludgate from York who competes in equestrian competitions, and Brittany Doney from Kukerin who compete in gymnastics.

Matthew started playing lawn bowls when he was 13 years of age.

“It’s good assistance to receive this award, because I want to continue competing in bowls,” he said.

The 17 year old who just graduated from Year 12 at Merredin Senior High School said he started playing with his dad, then moved on to scroungers, then pennants and other competitions.

The first year that he played in the Junior Country Championships he finished in the last eight in the singles competition, but the following year he was runner up.

Matthew was selected into the State Training Squad in 2008 and successfully gained a place in the State Squad in 2009.

From that squad he was selected into the 2009 Junior State Team which recently took him to New South Wales to compete against other States, and his team brought home a bronze medal in the triples from that competition.

An annual initiative of the Department of Sport and Recreation and Healthway, the Smarter than Smoking scholarships are now in their 15th year.

DSR Wheatbelt acting manager Jenifer Collins said the scholarships assisted young regional athletes to overcome barriers such as distance from facilities, competitions, development opportunities and coaches in their pursuit of state and national representation.

“Regional Western Australia has long been a gold mine of talented athletes in a range of sports, however without the help of scholarships like these you would have to wonder how many of these athletes would be able to reach their full potential,” she said.