Double World Champion Para-cyclist, Alana Forster, has continued her dominance on the world stage, earning a place as a finalist for the prestigious VIS Award of Excellence.
VIS cyclists have a proud history with the Award of Excellence, and if Alana Forster or fellow finalist Emily Petricola OAM is named the winner, they will become the sixth cyclist in VIS history to receive the honour.
They would join an elite group of Australian cycling legends: Katie Mactier, Cadel Evans AM, Leigh Howard, Carol Cooke AM, and last years winner, Grace Brown OAM.
The VIS Award of Excellence is the highest individual honour presented by the Institute, recognising an athlete who has achieved outstanding sporting results while contributing to the promotion and development of their sport.
Through her extraordinary achievements this season, Forster has firmly established herself as a world-leading Para-cyclist.
Once an elite able-bodied racer, Forsters career took a dramatic turn in 2022 when she was involved in a devastating car crash that left her with severe injuries to her pelvis, femur, ribs, and more. After multiple surgeries, she was left with nerve damage and a weakened leg.
Despite the potentially career-ending setback, Forster showed remarkable resilience and determination throughout months of rehabilitation, ultimately returning to the sport she loves as a Para-cyclist.
Forster at the 2025 Para-cycling Track World Championships (credit: SWpix)
In 2023, she claimed her first World Championship title at the UCI Para-cycling Track World Championships in the Womens C5 Scratch Race. She then went on to win a Paralympic bronze medal in Paris in the C5 Individual Time Trial, along with two top-10 finishes in the C5 Individual Pursuit and C4-C5 Road Race.
In 2025, Forster added more rainbow jerseys to her collection, becoming a double World Champion in the C5 Individual Time Trial and Road Race at the UCI Para Road World Championships in Belgium.
She is also a finalist for the VIS Para Athlete Award, further highlighting the significance of her achievements on the bike this year.
Beyond racing, Forster is also a doctor and a proud member of the Ballarat Sebastopol Cycling Club, where she serves as Vice President and continues to give back to the cycling community.
The winner of the prestigious VIS Award of Excellence will be announced on 11 November.
Follow the proceedings via VIS social media (@vicinstsport) as the award winners and celebrations are shared throughout the evening.
