Fox and Parker Headline NSW Sports Awards Success

The strength of women’s sport has emerged with two-time paddling Olympian Jessica Fox and double paratriathlon World Cup event winner Lauren Parker capturing the blue-ribbon Athlete of the Year and Athlete of the Year with a Disability awards at the NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony at Rosehill Gardens tonight.

The gala dinner also saw netball legend Liz Ellis AO presented with The Waratah, which recognises outstanding long-term contribution to sport in NSW beyond the sporting field and beyond any single year, while Catherine Cox (Netball), Julie Dolan AM (Football), Jana Pittman (Athletics), Melanie Roche (Softball) and Mark Skaife OAM (Motor Racing) were all inducted in to the NSW Hall of Champions.

First awarded last year, The Waratah recognises Ellis’ leadership in sport, her passion for NSW sport and her desire to achieve broader community outcomes.

Fox, the first paddler to finish the entire paddling World Cup season undefeated, joins Ian Thorpe and Layne Beachley as a three-time winner of NSW’s Athlete of the Year.

Fox, who was named NSW Athlete of the Year in 2013 and again last year, enjoyed a stellar World Cup year winning five C1 gold medals plus three gold and a silver in the K1. These successes cemented her as the greatest slalom paddler in the world, with more Championships than any male or female in the history of the sport.

Fox emerged victorious in a hotly contested final vote ahead of Australian rugby league captain Boyd Cordner, surfer Stephanie Gilmore, winter Olympian Matthew Graham, Test cricketer Ellyse Perry, high jumper Brandon Starc and diver Melissa Wu.

In her first year as a paratriathlete and a mere 12 months after a serious bike accident, Parker won two gold, three silvers and a bronze medal in the International Triathlon Union’s paratriathlon World Cup Series plus bronze at the Commonwealth Games. She was also a finalist for The Don award recently presented by Sport Australia.

NSW Minister for Sport, Stuart Ayres, said Fox and Parker were exceptional champions and role models.

“Jessica and Lauren epitomise why NSW’s is Australia’s premier sporting state. Their achievements over the past 12 months were simply remarkable and they are worthy category Athletes of the Year winners,” said Mr Ayres.

“When you consider the quality and success of the other Award finalists, it further highlights their outstanding accomplishments. It also illustrates the strength of NSW sport, its pathway programs and athlete support systems.”

Fox and Parker were among six women who swept to Award success.

Two-time Athlete of the Year with a Disability, Louise Sauvage OAM, was named Coach of the Year after guiding wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario to double Commonwealth Games gold medal success. Archer Elizabeth Hole was awarded Masters Athlete of the Year and Chris Sinclair from Squash NSW is the Official of the Year.

Junior World Champion track cyclist, Tom Cornish, was named Young Athlete of the Year and swimmer, Tim Hodge, was named Young Athlete of the Year with a Disability after a capturing a pair of Commonwealth Games silver medals in the 100m freestyle (S9) and 100m breaststroke (SB8).

Football complete a hat-trick of Awards with Football NSW’s Jo Fernandes named Administrator of the Year, Sydney FC was awarded Team of the Year for the second successive year, and the NSW Cerebral Palsy Football team was named Team of the Year with a Disability.

The Sydney International tennis tournament received the Event of the Year title and Rugby League also enjoyed success with the NSW Rugby League capturing the Organisation of the Year title.

Sport NSW Chairperson, Joseph La Posta, congratulated all award winners and finalists saying they are great role models for sport and to the wider community. “They have all shown great dedication and commitment towards attaining their goals in sport. They have done this with a high sense of enjoyment while demonstrating great respect to their fellow competitors,” he said.

The Award winners are;