Turner and Holt honoured as Para-Athletes of the Year

The 2016 Athletics Australia Awards have been announced as part of the festival of athletics at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre, with athletes, coaches and officials alike celebrated for their achievements in 2016.

Selected by an independent panel after nominees were determined via collaboration between the Special Awards Committee and the member associations, those recognised this weekend have led the charge for Australian athletics as we took on the world at the Rio 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Female Junior Athlete of the Year: Alex Hulley (NSW)

After throwing an Australian under 20 hammer throw record to ensure her selection to the green and gold squad for Bydgoszcz 2016, the then 18-year-old from Sydney went on to win silver at the IAAF World Under 20 Championships to cap off a brilliant year.

Male Junior Athlete of the Year: Kurtis Marschall (SA)

Marschall won a silver medal in the pole vault at the IAAF World Under 20 Championships in Bydgoszcz (POL) days after soaring to a new personal best of 5.70m in Mannheim (GER). His impressive career best led to Olympic selection, ensuring his start as the youngest male in the athletics contingent at Rio 2016.

Female Para-Athlete of the Year: Isis Holt (Vic)

Competing in the T35 100m and 200m for athletes with cerebral palsy, Holt won two silver medals at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games after an impressive Australian season that saw her improve the world record for both events on domestic soil.

Male Para-Athlete of the Year: James Turner (NSW)

One of three athletes to win athletics gold at the Rio 2016, Turner, who has cerebral palsy, clocked a world record to become Paralympic champion across 800m for his disability class.

Female Athlete of the Year: Alana Boyd (Qld)

Boyd closed out her impressive career in 2016 with a new national record of 4.81m in the women’s pole vault and 4th place in the event at the Olympic Games, missing the medal on countback after clearing 4.80m in the final.

Male Athlete of the Year: Jared Tallent (SA)

The winner of the silver medal in the men’s 50km walk at the Rio 2016, Tallent ensured his legend status by becoming the most prolific medallist of any male track and field athlete in Olympic history. He also won gold at the IAAF World Race Walking Team Championships.

Athletics Australia also toasted the Official of the Year, recognising service to the delivery of athletics events, and announced winners of the Coach of the Year Awards for junior, able-bodied and para-athletics.

Official of the Year: Brian Roe (Tas)

Junior Coach of the Year: Kym Simons (SA)
Para-Athletics Coach of the Year: Iryna Dvoskina (ACT)
Coach of the Year: Nic Bideau (Vic)