At a huge awards dinner in Perth tonight, Beadsworth took out the junior award following a stellar year in which she won a silver medal at the FINA World Championships in Melbourne in March and followed it up with a gold medal at the FINA Junior World Championships in Porto, Portugal in August. At this event she was named the media's MVP and was equal top goal-scorer.

Beadsworth won over a top line-up of international stars, including world youth champion pole-vaulter Vicki Parnov. 

She was also a finalist in the senior award but was passed over in favour of Lisa De Vanna, the outstanding women's player at the World Cup of football in China where she was nominated as one of the 26 players for International Footballer of the Year, as the only woman nominee.

Gemma's father Gene and mother Julie attended the function with Gene giving an enlightening speech as to how Julie spent most of her time ferrying Gemma to trainings.

The winner of the 1999 sports woman of the year was Olympic champion captain Bridgette Gusterson.

Proud parents Gene and Julie Beadsworth with Gemma's spoils.