An Olympic medallist boxer who will return to the ring as a new mum. A Para swimmer from a dairy farm near Echuca building a career outside of his sport. An Olympic medallist race walker who works full-time in conservation.
The 2XU Performance Lifestyle Award recognises the athlete who has achieved excellence in their studies, career ambitions or work while pursuing their sporting career, reflecting the VIS mission to empower athletes to succeed in sport and life. Meet this year’s finalists, Caitlin Parker, Col Pearse and Rhydian Cowley.
Caitlin Parker, Boxing
Caitlin Parker won bronze at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games and has since taken on her biggest balancing act yet.
After welcoming her daughter in November 2025, Parker returned to training in 2026, balancing motherhood with her ambitions in high performance sport. She is also completing a Certificate IV in Elite Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement, preparing for future career opportunities while continuing to train at an elite level.
Parker is a strong voice for athletes, serving on the VIS Athlete Advisory Committee and as Chair of the World Boxing Athletes Committee, helping shape outcomes for athletes nationally and internationally.
She also coaches with Boxing Australia at AIS training camps, has returned to coaching at her local boxing gym, and is involved with the Minerva Network, Play Like A Girl and the Australian Sports Foundation.
Col Pearse, Swimming
Col Pearse grew up on his family’s dairy farm near Echuca, with little exposure to elite athletes, particularly athletes with disability. Now he is making sure young people in regional communities have the representation he didn’t.
In the pool, Pearse won bronze in the 100m butterfly S10 at the 2025 World Para Swimming Championships and silver in the same event at the 2026 Commonwealth Games. Out of the water, he is completing a Bachelor of Sports Media at Holmesglen Institute and received an AIS Athlete Education Scholarship in 2025. He wants to build a career in sports journalism, broadcasting or commentary, using media to increase the visibility and understanding of Para sport.
He regularly returns to regional schools, including his former school, to share his journey and medals, was a guest speaker for International Day of People with Disability in December 2025, and donated Paralympic and Commonwealth Games uniforms to the Rochester Sports Museum. In 2026 he has taken part in community swimming clinics at Monbulk Aquatic Centre and Whitlam Leisure Centre, connecting with junior Para athletes, something he never saw growing up in learn-to-swim programs.
He has also shared the story of his regional roots through Woolworths’ national Olympic and Paralympic campaign, which featured the family farm dam that became his training environment during COVID, and Dairy Australia’s “Powered by Milk” campaign.
Rhydian Cowley, Athletics
Away from athletics, Cowley works full-time for Bush Heritage Australia, a not-for-profit conservation organisation protecting wildlife and ecosystems across the continent. This year he pledged to donate 10 cents for every kilometre he walks in training and competition to High Impact Athletes’ Sport One Carbon, Zero initiative. His climate work was recognised internationally when he was named BBC Green Sports Award Athlete of the Year in 2024.
Beyond his achievements and training as a VIS athlete, he is deeply committed to creating a positive impact across the Victorian community through his involvement with theHe is a VIS Sustainability Squad, the VIS Athlete Advisory Committee and the VIS First Nations Working Group. Cowley also, sits on the Athletics Australia Athletes’ Advisory Committee, and is an ambassador for Sports Environment Alliance, Eco Athletes and SOAP Aid.
Closer to home, he is treasurer of his local community garden, Fawkner Food Bowls, and a committee member of Merri Food Hub, and gives his time to the AIS Share a Yarn program and the Australian Sports Museum’s Meet an Olympian program. On the track, he won the 2026 Australian Marathon Race Walking Championships.
The winner will be announced at the 2026 VIS Award of Excellence at Marvel Stadium on Tuesday 17 November. Follow VIS channels (@vicinstsport) to stay up to date with the evening.
