Paralympic golden girl named Female Athlete of the Year

Para-swimming star Maddison Elliott continues to add to her stellar list of achievements this year, collecting the top prize at the NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) Awards in Sydney, NSW, last night (17 November).

In a category which included fellow Paralympic swimming gold medallist Ellie Cole, Olympic sailing silver medallist Lisa Darmanin, dual Olympic canoe slalom medallist Jessica Fox, and Australian Diamonds captain Sharni Layton, Elliott was the stand-out as Female Athlete of the Year.

It was a big night for Elliott, who also took home the Regional Athlete of the Year and Junior Athlete of the Year awards.

“I am honestly shocked to have won all three awards that I was nominated for. I don’t think that will happen again. I’m living in the moment,” she said.

This year, Elliott represented Australia at her second Paralympic Games, where she won three gold and two silver medals, and set two world records.

“It has definitely been a huge year. I had a few ups and downs with injury, I lost a friend to illness, but I bounced back from all of that and competed well in Rio [at the 2016 Paralympics],” she said.

The NSWIS’ Chief Executive Officer Charles Turner echoed Elliott’s sentiments, noting that her success in 2016 is “the reward for many years of hard work and sacrifice”.

“The NSWIS and our partners are privileged to be able to support such high-calibre athletes in their quest for excellence, and we will continue to do so moving towards the 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Turner said.

By APC Media
Posted: 18/11/2016