It was a night to remember for Nina Kennedy at this years 2023 WAIS Awards of Excellence. Nina was crowned the 2023 WAIS Athlete of the Year, marking her maiden title in this prestigious category. She follows the likes of Pole Vaulting greats in Steve Hooker (2008 and 09 Athlete of the Year), and most fittingly her Coach Paul Burgess (2006 Athlete of the Year), who also claimed his first Coach of the Year title.
The highlight of Kennedy’s outstanding year came at the 2023 World Athletics Championships held in Budapest, where she clinched the gold medal, sharing the top spot with the equally formidable Katie Moon. This remarkable performance earned her the coveted Bruce McAvaney Award for the Performance of the Year. Nina’s dominance was also on display throughout the international circuit, with impressive victories at the Zurich and Paris Diamond League meets.
Finishing the year off in style, Kennedy broke the Australian and Oceania record not once, not twice, but three times, finishing the year holding the world lead in pole vaulting with a remarkable 4.91meters.
In the category of Young Athlete of the Year, Jacqui Swick emerged triumphant, this accolade makes it back-to-back Young Athlete’s of the Year for Jacqui, who is continuing her remarkable journey in rowing. Her year included medalling in every senior international race in 2023, which included a gold at the World Cup 2, and a Bronze at World Cup 3. Her Bronze at the World Championships not only solidified the power of the women’s eights, but saw them secure a qualification spot for Paris 2024.
Other finalists for Young Athlete of the Year included Alex Rossi (rowing), who led his team to a bronze medal finish in the men’s quadruple sculls at the U23 World Championships, Iona Anderson (swimming) who clinched gold in the 50m backstroke at the World Junior Aquatic Championships, earning a debut in the senior side earlier this month where she claimed 2x individual silvers and a gold in the 4x100m medley, and Alex Saffy (swimming), who added a bronze to his name at the Para World Championships in Manchester.
Rowing took out the program of the year award for 2023, following a phenomenal all round year. The Rowing program is recognised for its track record of ‘fast tracking’ talented athletes into the National Training Centres, and is considered a “trusted pipeline” by Rowing Australia (Under the stewardship of Head Coach Jamie Hewlett, the WAIS rowing program is recognised nationally and internationally as a trusted talent development pipeline that uncovers, develops and delivers performance ready athletes for the international arena)
The program is recognised for its training ethos, professional standards with athletes actively involved in decision-making, continuous improvement and embracing innovative practices. Head Coach Jamie Hewlett, Performance Scientist Martyne Binnie and Physiotherapist Leon Vogels also featured at U23 World Championships, World Cups and Senior World Championships.
In recognition of their invaluable contributions to our athletes/programs, coaches Paul Burgess (pole vault), Jamie Hewlett (rowing), Shane McDonald (basketball) and Danny Kevan (athletics) were honoured with Coach of the Year nominations, with the title taken out by Paul Burgess.
As Head Coach of the Pole Vault program, Paul brings a distinguished athletics career to the role and has been integral in the program’s long-term success.
Taking over as Head Coach in January 2021, Burgess’s coaching and guidance have allowed his athletes to use his experience to jump to a new level of success on the world stage. Among the successes in 2023, Paul coached Nina Kennedy to be Australia’s first pole vault champion since Steve Hooker in 2009, and Australia’s 11th World Champion in Track and Field claiming Gold at the World Championships in Budapest.
Burgess also had Kurtis Marschall secure selection in the World Championships in Budapest. The WAIS pole vaulter enjoyed a breakout year on the international circuit and claimed his first major World Athletics medal with a huge clearance of 5.95m, sharing equal bronze with USA’s Christopher Nilsen. Marschall became Australia’s fifth World Championship medallist in pole vault and the first Australian male athlete to step up onto the podium since long jumper Fabrice Lapierre claimed a silver in 2015.
Athlete of the Year
2023
WAIS Athlete of the Year – Nina Kennedy (Pole Vault)
Nominees
- Nina Kennedy (Athletics)
- Matt Wearn (Sailing)
- Netball World Cup team (Courtney Bruce, Sunday Aryang, Sophie Garbin)
Winners:
- 2023 – Nina Kennedy (Athletics)
- 2022 – Matt Richardson (Cycling)
- 2021 – Matt Wearn (Sailing)
- 2020 – Not Awarded due to COVID-19
- 2019 – Brianna Throssell (Swimming)
- 2018 – Matt Wearn (Sailing)
- 2017 – Cameron Meyer (Cycling)
- 2016 – Sam Welsford (Cycling)
- 2015 – Caitlin Bassett (Netball), Melissa Hoskins (Cycling)
- 2014 – Kim Mickle (Athletics)
- 2013 – Kim Mickle (Athletics)
- 2012 – Cameron Meyer (Cycling)
- 2011 – Lauren Mitchell (Gymnastics)
- 2010 – Cameron Meyer (Cycling)
- 2009 – Steve Hooker (Athletics)
- 2008 – Steve Hooker (Athletics), Elise Rechichi (Sailing), Tessa Parkinson (Sailing)
- 2007 – Eamon Sullivan (Swimming)
- 2006 – Paul Burgess (Athletics)
- 2005 – Peter Robertson (Triathlon)
- 2004 – Ryan Bayley (Cycling)
- 2003 – Peter Dawson (Cycling)
- 2002 – Peter Dawson (Cycling)
- 2001 – Dmitri Markov (Athletics)
- 2000 – Belinda Stowell (Sailing)
- 1999 – Stuart Reside (Rowing)
- 1998 – Recehlle Hawkes (Hockey)
- 1997 – Darryn Hill (Cycling)
- 1996 – Darryn Hill (Cycling)
- 1995 – Rechelle Hawkes (Hockey)
- 1994 – Richard Nizielski (Ice Speed Skating)
- 1993 – Ramon Andersson (Canoeing)
- 1992 – Sharon Buchanan (Hockey)
- 1991 – Robyn Lambourne (Squash)
- 1990 – Ian Brown (Swimming)
- 1989 – Craig Davies (Hockey)
- 1988 – Craig Parry (Golf)
- 1987 – Christine Stanton (Athletics)
- 1986 – Robert Waller (Cycling)
- 1985 – Jenny Byrne (Tennis)
Young Athlete of the Year
2023
WAIS Young Athlete of the Year – Jacqui Swick (Rowing)
Nominees
- Iona Anderson (Swimming)
- Alex Saffy (Swimming)
- Alex Rossi (Rowing)
- Jacqui Swick (Rowing)
Winners:
- 2023 – Jacqui Swick (Rowing)
- 2022 – Jacqui Swick (Rowing) and Alex Saffy (Swimming)
- 2021 – Not awarded due to COVID-19
- 2020 – Not awarded due to COVID-19
- 2019 – Bronwyn Cox (Rowing)
- 2018 – Annabelle McIntyre (Rowing)
- 2017 – Annabelle McIntyre and Bronwyn Cox (Rowing)
- 2016 – Tamsin Cook (Swimming)
- 2015 – Tamsin Cook (Swimming)
- 2014 – Sam Welsford (Cycling)
- 2013 – Alex Hagan and Hannah Vermeersch (Rowing)
- 2012 – Kelsey Robson (Cycling)
- 2011 –
- 2010 –
- 2009 – Sarah Kent (Cycling)
- 2008 – Josie Tomic (Cycling)
Coach of the Year
2023
WAIS Coach of the Year – Paul Burgess (Pole Vault)
Nominees
- Paul Burgess (Athletics)
- Jamie Hewlett (Rowing)
- Shane McDonald (Basketball)
- Danny Kevan (Athletics)
Winners:
- 2023 – Paul Burgess (Athletics)
- 2022 – Brad Ness (Wheelchair Basketball)
- 2021 – Belinda Stowell (Sailing)
- 2020 – Not awarded due to COVID-19
- 2019 – Belinda Stowell (Sailing)
- 2018 – Chris O’Reilly (Men’s Hockey)
- 2017 – Paul Oberman (Men’s Water Polo)
- 2016 – Michael Palfery (Swimming)
- 2015 – Michael Palfery (Swimming)
- 2014 – Paul Oberman (Men’s Water Polo)
- 2013 – Grant Ward (Athletics)
- 2012 – Ramon Andersson (Canoeing)
- 2011 – Nikolai Lapchine and Martine George (Gymnastics)
- 2010 – Alex Parnov (Atheltics)
- 2009 – Alex Parnov (Athletics)
- 2008 – Darryl Benson (Cycling)
- 2006 – Alex Parnov (Athletics)
Program of the Year
2023
WAIS Program of the Year – Rowing
Nominees
- Swimming
- Wheelchair Basketball
- Rowing
Winners:
- 2023 – Rowing
- 2022 – Athletics
- 2021 – Canoeing
- 2020 – Not awarded due to COVID-19
- 2019 – Rowing
- 2018 – Rowing
- 2017 – Swimming – Challenge High Performance Training Centre
- 2016 – Men’s Water Polo
- 2015 – Swimming
- 2014 – Sailing
- 2013 – Canoeing
- 2012 – Canoeing
- 2011 – Cycling
- 2010 – Netball
- 2009 – Canoeing
- 2008 – Gymnastics
- 2007 – Canoeing