Brianna Throssell was named WAIS Athlete of the Year to cap off her best year to date in the pool at the 2019 WAIS Annual Awards of Excellence at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Thursday November 14, 2019.

At the World Championships Throssell wrote her name in to the record books in more ways than one. A new World Record along with gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay to add to gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, saw Throssell go in to WA sporting history as the first West Australian swimmer to win two gold at the one championships.

23-year-old Throssell's world championship success did not end there as she also claimed silver in the 4x100m mixed freestyle relay and 4x100m medley relay to complete a four medal haul.

Individual swims in the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly saw Throssell compete 13 times across the championships, the most of any Australian swimmer.

In winning the WAIS Athlete of the Year Award, Throssell became just the third swimmer to claim the honour, after Eamon Sullivan in 2007 and Ian Brown in 1990.

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A previous Young Athlete of the Year winner Bronwyn Cox, claimed a second award making it three consecutive wins for rowers with Cox and Annabelle McIntyre having shared the award and both won it individually.

Bronwyn Cox made her elite World Championship debut in 2019, despite still being eligible to compete at the Under 23 World Championships. The decision was a wise one for Bronwyn and the Australian Rowing Team as she claimed silver in the eight. Her 2019 season also saw gold and silver World Cup medals.

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Continued success across age groups as well as a thriving talent pathway saw rowing again take out the Program of the year Award.

The WAIS rowing program supported six athletes to the Australian team for the Junior World Championships and a further five to the Under 23 World Championships. Giorgia Patten won silver at the U23 World Championships and Hamish Henriques gold at the Junior World Championships. Athletes and coaches from rowing have been nominated for multiple awards in a sign of the high quality work being achieved through the program.

Seven athletes have been selected for the National Training Centre intake including graduates Annabelle McIntyre, Bronwyn Cox and Josh Hicks who claimed medals at the World Championships.

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Belinda Stowell was a popular winner of Coach of the Year with WA sailors impressing across the globe in 2019.

10 WAIS sailors represented Australia in Olympic boat classes at World Championships in 2019, as further evidence of Belinda's coaching success. Belinda coached Nia Jerwood and Monique de Vries to their first international medal at the World Cup in Japan, in the women's 470. Zac Littlewood claimed silver in the Laser Radial at the Youth World Championships.

In addition to her coaching she plays a key support and mentoring role to Matt Wearn who has been selected for next year's Olympics in the Laser.

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The Wally Foreman Foundation awarded two scholarships to Leah Parry (softball) and Nia Jerwood (sailing).

Full list of Award nominees and winners:

WAIS Athlete of the Year

• Zoe Arancini (Water Polo)

• Caitlin Bassett (Netball)

• Courtney Bruce (Netball)

• Maddison Keeney (Diving)

• Annabelle McIntyre (Rowing)

• Ben Popham (Swimming)

• Brianna Throssell (Swimming)

• Matt Wearn (Sailing)

• Sam Welsford (Cycling)

WAIS Junior Athlete of the Year

• Bronwyn Cox (Rowing)

• Mary Friday (Wheelchair Basketball)
  

• Hamish Henriques (Rowing)
  

• Zac Littlewood (Sailing)
  

• Giorgia Patten (Rowing)
  

• Sasha Zhoya (Athletics)
  

WAIS Coach of the Year

• Rhett Ayliffe (Rowing)

• Jamie Hewlett (Rowing)
  

• Michael Palfrey (Swimming)
  

• Paul Oberman (Men's Water Polo)
  

• Belinda Stowell (Sailing)
  

WAIS Program of the Year

• Rowing

• Sailing

• Swimming

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Previous winners: