The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) extends its congratulations to all the amazing athletes acknowledged at last night’s Sport Australia Hall of Fame awards.
AOC: The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) extends its congratulations to all the amazing athletes acknowledged at last night’s Sport Australia Hall of Fame awards.
London 2012 Olympic boxer Jeff Horn took out the prestigious ‘Don’ award while many more Olympians were recognised for their outstanding achievements.
“It is massive,” Horn said on the night after an amazing year that saw him most recently defeat all-time great Manny Pacquiao in front of a packed home crowd in Brisbane.
“I can remember growing up being inspired by previous winners such as Cathy Freeman and Ian Thorpe. To know I am potentially inspiring the future generation of athletes like these guys have done for me is an incredible feeling.”
Track and field star Steve Hooker was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame after a dominant career which saw him win gold at the Beijing 2008 Games while simultaneously holding the World Championships, Commonwealth Games and Indoor World Championships titles.
History was made when Lauren Burns became the first taekwondo inductee into the Hall of Fame after a career that was punctuated by her Sydney 2000 gold medal while cyclist and fellow Olympic gold medallist Brad McGee joined her after a ten-year career that saw him also win World Championship gold and wear the leaders jersey in each of the three Grand Tours.
Three-time Olympic silver medallist Raelene Boyle became the 39th Legend of Australian sport for her feats on the track as sports medicine pioneer Dr. Grace Bryant was inducted as a general member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for her amazing work with five Olympic Teams.
“It is great to see these exceptional Olympians acknowledged by the Sporting Hall of Fame,” AOC CEO Matt Carroll said.
“These Olympians are a true source of inspiration and the AOC is proud of what they’ve achieved in their own careers as well as what they’ve done to act as motivators for Australian youth.”
Horn beat out fellow Olympians Sally Pearson, the Matildas, Emily Seebohm and Erin Phillips as well as Rugby League star Johnathan Thurston and Tokyo 2020 surfing aspirant Tyler Wright for the major award on the night.
Others also acknowledged at the event were AFL great Tony Lockett, water polo pioneer Debbie Handley Cummins and Paralympic icons Frank Ponta and Troy Sachs.
Matt Bartolo
olympics.com.au
