The nominees for the prestigious AOE are all Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games medallists, making it one of the strongest fields for the highest of VIS awards in many years.
Olympic cycling gold medallist and world champion, Grace Brown, is one of four nominees but her competition is exceptional; the legendary Para table tennis player Qian Yang, who won two gold medals in Paris, Para cycling gold medallist and world champion Emily Petricola OAM and Paris race walking bronze medallist Jemima Montag have also been nominated.
Montag, winner in 2022, is already on an Award of Excellence honour roll that reads like a whos who of Australian high-performance sport. Cathy Freeman, Cadel Evans, Dylan Alcott, Leisel Jones, Alisa Camplin, Steve Moneghetti, Mack Horton, Lydia Lassila and James Tomkins are among those to feature in the VIS gallery of AOE winners.
Brown, who has announced her retirement, won gold in Paris in the Individual Time Trial (ITT) and backed it up two months later with victory in the ITT at the UCI World Championships in Switzerland.
Petricola, the 2023 Para Individual Pursuit world champion, won Individual Pursuit gold on the track at the Paris Paralympics in world record time and finished fourth in the C4 Individual Time Trial.
Montag, silver medallist at the 2023 World Athletics Championships in Budapest, won two bronze medals in Paris, finishing third in the 20km Race Walk and third in the Mixed Marathon Relay event with VIS colleague Rhydian Cowley.
Qians double success in Paris in the WS10 Singles and Doubles with Lina Lei – continued a run that will ensure she is remembered as one of the greatest table tennis players of all-time.
Qian has medalled at four consecutive Paralympic Games and has won five gold and four silver medals. It is her intention to compete in Los Angeles in 2028.
The 2024 Award of Excellence nominees are:
- Paralympic cycling gold medallist and world champion Emily Petricola OAM
- Olympic cycling gold medallist and world champion Grace Brown
- Dual Paralympic table tennis gold medallist Qian Yang
- Dual Olympic race walking bronze medallist Jemima Montag
The annual VIS Award of Excellence event, to be held this year at Zinc on Fed Square on 26 November, celebrates the national and international achievements of VIS athletes and, importantly, the manner in which they have sought to win well, in sport and life.
While the Award of Excellence is the highest of VIS honours, each year the Para Athlete Award, 2XU Rising Star Award, Sarah Tait Spirit Award, Open Universities Australia Performance Lifestyle Award and Frank Pyke Achievement Award are also presented.
The nominees for theses awards are:
Open Universities Australia Performance Lifestyle Award
Aislin Jones (shooting)
Grace Brown (cycling)
Jo Weston (netball)
2XU Rising Star Award
Brock Batty (trampoline)
Dayna Crees (Para athletics)
Josh Jolly (cycling)
Sarah Tait Spirit Award
Jean Mitchell (rowing)
Melissa Tapper (Para table tennis)
Shae Graham (wheelchair rugby)
Para Athlete Award
Emily Petricola OAM (Para cycling)
Qian Yang (Para table tennis)
Lina Lei (Para table tennis)
