Australia’s sporting legends have been recognised at the 31st Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards Gala dinner held once again in Melbourne, the sporting capital of the world.
Minister for Sport John Eren today paid tribute to the athletes, coaches and administrators honoured at the Crown Palladium last night for their contribution to Australia’s extraordinary sporting success, including the new legend of Australian sport, netball champion Anne Sargeant OAM.
Sargeant wore green and gold on the netball court for more than a decade, and remains one of the most highly-regarded Australians ever to play the game. The former Australian captain has excelled as a coach, a commentator and a selector for the Australian Diamonds, who play in Melbourne on Sunday.
Melbourne has been home to many of Australian sport’s most memorable occasions, so it was fitting the Great Sporting Moment enshrined this year occurred on the MCG. Kerryn McCann’s stirring marathon triumph at the 2006 Commonwealth Games is forever etched in Australia’s sporting folklore, after she went toe-to-toe with Kenyan Hellen Cherono Koskei, and narrowly won gold. McCann died of breast cancer in 2008.
Surfers Mick Fanning and Julian Wilson received the Spirit of Sport Award after their stunning brush with a shark, and Victorians will be able to see the pair in action at the 2016 Rip Curl Pro at Bells Beach. Golf’s world number one Jason Day picked up The Don award, and will likely be back at Victoria’s Sandbelt for next year’s 2016 World Cup of Golf.
A total of eight stars of Australian sport have joined the 533 members of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame:
- Ryan Bayley OAM – Cycling
- Priya Cooper OAM – Swimming
- Leisel Jones OAM – Swimming
- Ricky Ponting AO – Cricket
- Norm Provan – Rugby League
- Casey Stoner AM – Motorcycling
- Helen Brownlee OAM – Administration
- John O’Neill AO – Administration.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport John Eren
“Anne Sargeant is one of the greatest ambassadors Netball has known. She truly is a giant of Australian sport.”
“Casey Stoner and Ricky Ponting are just two modern-day stars to make their names in Victoria. Stoner won the Australian Grand Prix at Phillip Island six times, while Ponting made the Boxing Day Test his own.”
“Whether it’s at Bells Beach or on the Sandbelt, Australia’s most decorated sporting champions are always welcome back to Victoria, the sporting capital of the world.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020