2026 NSWIS Awards: A celebration of world class achievements

Five NSW athletes received prestigious NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Awards for achievements at the Milano Cortina 2026 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games, the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games and world championships.

NSWIS CEO Kirsten Thomson OLY said the awards showcased the depth of sporting talent in NSW, with 20 athletes, six coaches and one NSWIS staff member named as finalists.

“NSWIS athletes have excelled on the world stage, and by doing so they have made Australians proud and inspired the next generation to pursue their dreams,” Ms Thomson said.

“Every recipient and finalist is world class, and it was exciting to celebrate both their achievements and the role NSWIS’s support played in their success. The presence of Institute alumni made the evening even more meaningful as NSWIS marked its 30^th anniversary.”

Triple Olympic gold medallist Jess Fox OAM received the Ian Thorpe AM Outstanding Achievement Award presented by Powerade for the courage and determination she demonstrated following surgery for a kidney tumour. The operation, including a collapsed lung and five days in intensive care, forced her to miss half the 2025 international canoe slalom season.

After nine months of recovery, Ms Fox made an immediate impact on her return, winning five World Cup gold medals and three world championship titles.

Cooper Woods was named Valour Male Athlete of the Year after displaying the Aussie battler spirit in the men’s moguls at Milano Cortina. After missing automatic qualification, he produced a brilliant comeback to secure the top seed for the Olympic final.

Mr Woods delivered a career-best final run, scoring 83.71 to tie Canada’s Mikael Kingsbury, widely regarded as the greatest moguls skier of all time. His superior turns score and technical precision secured the gold medal.

Jakara Anthony OAM received the NSW Office of Sport Female Athlete of the Year Award after dominating the world cup season and winning the women’s dual moguls at Milano Cortina. The victory made her Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian with two gold medals.

After her single moguls event fell short of expectations, Ms Anthony had only 72 hours to prepare for the inaugural dual moguls competition. Displaying her trademark determination and resilience, she powered through a world-class field before defeating US archrival Jaelin Kauf in the final.

Central Coast standout Molly Picklum, 23, was named Valour Young Athlete of the Year after overcoming challenging conditions at Cloudbreak, Fiji, to win the 2025 women’s WSL world title.

Ms Picklum has sustained that form and, after her victory in Portugal last weekend, she is ranked the world’s No. 1 female surfer.

Rower Caitlin McManus-Barrett, 24, received the Mizuno Personal Excellence Award for her sporting and academic achievements. She graduated from ANU with First Class Honours in Physics and completed an honours thesis in the field.

She also pursued her interest in languages, served on Sydney Rowing Club’s Athlete Leadership Group, and worked in disability support, helping a Para rower participate fully in training, competition, and the wider rowing community.

Peter McNiel and Kate Blamey received the NSWIS Coach of the Year Award presented by the NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality & Sport. Their athletes recorded 21 podium finishes, 41 top-10 results and a Crystal Globe.

The NSWIS squad featured Milano Cortina gold medallists Jakara Anthony OAM and Cooper Woods, Olympic bronze medallist Matt Graham, and emerging athletes Charlotte Wilson, George Murphy, Jackson Harvey and Emma Bosco.

The Winter Sports Program was named the NSWIS Program of the Year for fostering a world-class, high performance culture. NSWIS athletes won four Winter Olympic medals, including three gold, as well as two Paralympic medals leading Australia to our most successful winter Games campaign on record.

Others reached finals, placed in the top 20, and achieved personal bests. The program exceeded key performance indicators, advanced innovation, while its athletes dominated the FIS World Cup circuit in the lead-up to Milano Cortina.

Australia’s most successful Paralympian, Ellie Cole AM, received the NSWIS ‘Most Outstanding’ honour for her exceptional contribution to sport throughout and beyond her swimming career. She has used her platform to be an advocate for people with a disability, as a voice for athletes, and a broadcaster.

Ms Cole joins eight Australian sporting greats recognised as NSWIS ‘Most Outstanding’: Ian Thorpe AM, Alyson Annan OAM, Bradley McGee OAM, Liz Ellis AM, Louise Sauvage OAM, Matthew Mitcham OAM, Kurt Fearnley AO and Michael Milton OAM.

2026 NSWIS Award winners:

• Ian Thorpe AM Outstanding Achievement Award presented by Powerade – Jessica Fox OAM (Canoe Slalom)

• Valour Male Athlete of the Year Award – Cooper Woods (Winter Sports)

• NSW Office of Sport Female Athlete of the Year Award – Jakara Anthony OAM (Winter Sports)

• Valour Young Athlete of the Year Award – Molly Picklum (Surfing)

• Mizuno Personal Excellence Award – Caitlin McManus-Barrett (Rowing)

• Coach of the Year Award presented by NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality & Sport  – Peter McNiel and Kate Blamey (Winter Sports)

• NSWIS Program of the Year Award – Winter Sports

NSWIS thanks the NSW Government, the NSW Office of Sport, NSW Department of Creative Industries, Tourism, Hospitality & Sport, Mizuno, Powerade and Valour for their support.

NSWIS Media