All eight of the Western Australian Institute of Sport’s Beijing Gold Medallists have been honoured in the Australia Day honours lists, with the three Olympic and five Paralympic champions receiving medals in the general division.
Olympic Gold Medallists Steve Hooker (pole vault), Tessa Parkinson (sailing) and Elise Rechichi (sailing) and Paralympic Gold Medallists Justin Eveson (wheelchair basketball), Michael Hartnett (wheelchair basketball), Brad Ness (wheelchair basketball), Shaun Norris (wheelchair basketball)and Katrina Porter (swimming)were all recognised for their achievements in Beijing in the list which was announced by the Governor General on Australia Day.
The eight will now have the honour of being recognised with an OAM title after their name, signifying their Medal of the Order of Australia in the General Division.
Rechichi told WAToday.com.authat it was an unexpected honour to be recognised alongside politicians, community workers and scientists.
“It was certainly not something I had expected, because it was something I had always associated with some sort of breakthrough in medicine or something like that,” the 23-year old said.
“I was just doing my job, and the job was to get a medal at the Olympics – so to receive this is pretty special.”
Full citations for each of the eight honour recipients can be read on the Governor General’s website.
