Freney honoured with award

Several NSWIS athletes have been named as award winners at the 2012 Paralympian of the Year awards in Sydney overnight. From the Australian Paralympic Committee:

Paralympian of the Year

Eight-time London gold medallist Jacqueline Freney has been crowned the 2012 Paralympian of the Year at a gala awards ceremony in Sydney.

The 20-year-old swimmer from the New South Wales far north coast claimed the Australian Paralympic Committee’s top prize from fellow swimmer Matthew Cowdrey, athletics stars Evan O’Hanlon and Kelly Cartwright, cyclist Felicity Johnson and wheelchair rugby dynamo Ryley Batt.

Freney blitzed the field to win eight gold medals from eight events at her second Paralympic Games in London. With six individual victories, two relay wins and two world records, her anchor leg of the 4x100m medley relay in her final race remains one of the finest performances of the Games. 

Freney, who was also awarded Female Athlete of the Year, was the most successful athlete of the entire Games and is now Australia’s most successful athlete at a single Paralympics.

“It is an absolute honour, I didn’t expect this at all,” said Freney.

“To be acknowledged by the Australian Paralympic Committee and know that they are behind me is a such a good feeling. I knew I’d be up against a tough field of nominees and to have my dedication to swimming acknowledged is phenomenal.

“It’s been a pretty busy time since London and I’ve really enjoyed the post-Games atmosphere. All my hard work has finally paid off and to win this award and experience the amazing public support is a wonderful thing.”

Team of the Year

The Australian wheelchair rugby team, the Steelers, and sailing’s two-person SKUD 18 crew were tied as winners of Team of the Year.

Having won every quarter of every game, Australia’s wheelchair rugby team returned from London with the gold medal they dreamed of. Having won silver twice before, Australia defeated Canada 66-51 to claim the team’s first ever gold on the last day of the Games.

An unlikely pair, sailor Daniel Fitzgibbon and five-time Paralympic wheelchair basketballer Liesl Tesch (NSWIS) combined on the water to win Australia’s first sailing gold since Sydney 2000. Fitzgibbon’s strategic sailing skills and Tesch’s competitive nature and natural talent were for all to see as the SKUD 18 pair won four of the 10 regatta races and never once finished outside the top three.

Junior Athlete of the Year

Tied winners of Junior Athlete of the Year Maddison Elliott and Rheed McCracken were the youngest members of the 2012 Paralympic Team.

Thirteen-year-old Maddison Elliott was the youngest Australian to ever compete at a Paralympic Games. Relatively unknown on the international swimming circuit, she surprised many when she won gold in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, silver in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 100m and 400m freestyle.

Meanwhile on the track, 15-year-old Rheed McCracken won bronze in the 200m before going one better to win silver in the 100m on the final day of athletics competition, earmarking him as one of Australia’s track stars of the future.