THE HON KATE ELLIS MP
MINISTER FOR SPORT
MEDIA RELEASE
Tuesday 20 October 2009
AIS Athlete of the Year finalists named
The Minister for Sport Kate Ellis today announced the finalists for the coveted
Australian Institute of Sport Athlete of the Year.
Australian Olympic stars triathlete Emma Moffatt, swimmer Brenton Rickard
and sprint canoeist Ken Wallace are the 2009 finalists.
“The AIS is all about achieving excellence and each of this year’s finalists
exemplified this with their performances in the past year,” Ms Ellis said.
“The AIS continues to be a world leader working with sports to develop talent
and the sporting calibre on show in 2009 is building on this high standard.”
Moffatt was crowned UTI World Champion after winning five gold medals in
this year’s World Championship Series.
Rickard broke the world record to win gold in the 100m breaststroke at the
2009 FINA World Championships.
Wallace won silver in the K1 1000m event at the 2009 ICF Canoe Sprint
World Cup in Hungary – his first World Cup medal in this event.
Wallace could become the fourth athlete to win back-to-back Athlete of the
Year titles following in the footsteps of athlete Kerry Saxby-Junna (1986-89),
swimmer Michael Klim (1998 and 1999) and swimmer Petria Thomas (2001
and 2002). Gymnast Philippe Rizzo won in 2001 and 2006.
The AIS Junior Athlete of the Year Award finalists are track and road cyclist
Jack Bobridge, basketballer Liz Cambage, slalom canoeist Jessica Fox,
winter athlete Nathan Johnstone, tennis player Olivia Rogowska and netballer
Amy Steel.
“There is an amazing new generation of sporting talent coming through the
ranks, pointing to great things to come for Australia on the adult stage,” Ms
Ellis said.
“I congratulate these athletes and coaches on their success and wish them
well as they gear up for the New Delhi Commonwealth Games next year and
London in 2012.”
The 2009 AIS Award winners will be announced on Thursday 12 November at
the AIS Arena in Canberra.
AIS AWARDS FINALISTS
Athlete of the Year
Emma Moffatt Triathlon
Brenton Rickard Swimming
Ken Wallace Flatwater Canoe
Junior Athlete of the Year
Jack Bobridge Track Endurance/Road Cycling
Elizabeth Cambage Basketball
Jessica Fox Canoe Slalom
Nathan Johnstone Winter Sport
Olivia Rogowska Tennis
Amy Steel Netball
Team of the Year
Luke Morrison/David Smith Sprint Canoe
Nathan Outteridge/Iain Jensen Sailing
Becchara Palmer/Louise Bawden Beach Volleyball
Team Jayco/AIS Cycling
Coach of the Year
Emmett Lazich Sailing
Ian McKenzie Men’s Track Endurance Cycling
Simone McKinnis Netball
Jimmy Owens Sprint Canoe
Vince Raleigh Swimming
Craig Walton Triathlon
Program of the Year
AIS Netball
AIS Sprint Canoe
AIS Track Endurance /Road Cycling
Press Secretary: Jayne Stinson 0458 547 512
jayne.stinson@deewr.gov.au
AIS Media: Bevan Hannan 0418 605 541 bevan.hannan@ausport.gov.au
NEWS 
