2018 ASPAs Female Athlete of the Year winner, 2019 Paddle Australia Paddler of the Year (Olympic) and canoe slalom g.o.a.t., Jessica Fox, is once again a finalist in the 2019 Female Athlete of the Year category of the 2019 Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Sport Performance Awards.
Fox is a finalist amongst a stellar line-up of Australia’s best women in sport, including Kelsey-Lee Barber (Athletics), Ash Barty (Tennis), Stephanie Gilmore (Surfing), Hannah Green (Golf) as well as Ariarne Titmus (Swimming).
Paddle Australia’s 2019 double world champion and Paralympic champion Curtis McGrath is a finalist in the Male Para-athlete of the Year category and is joined by Australia’s best para-athletes in the category, including Dylan Alcott (Tennis) Michael Roeger (Para-Athletics), David Nicholas (Para-cycling), Grant Patterson (Para-swimming) and Ben Tudhope (Para-snowboard).
McGrath, who also received the Paddle Australia Para-athlete of the Year award at the start of November, acknowledge the team effort going into any award nomination.
“We’ve got a really good team and to have the support of everyone around you and helping you achieve those goals and dreams of getting to the Paralympics and then being recognised for the work that goes in is not just for myself but everyone around me. So it’s really cool to have them supporting us and being recognised at the awards as well.”
2019 world championships silver and bronze medallist and Rio 2016 Paralympic medallist Susan Seipel is also nominated for the Female Para-athlete of the year amongst a stellar line-up of finalists including Tiffany Thomas Kane (Para-swimming), Paige Greco (Para-cycling), Lauren Parker (Para-triathlon), Emily Petricola (Para-cycling) and Melissa Perrine (Para-alpine skiing).
“It is truely an honour to be nominated for female para-athlete of the year at the Aspas. So many incredible performances from female Para athletes this season, which is fantastic to see and be a part of,” Seipel said.
The #ASPAs are the annual celebration of Australian high-performance sport, with winners to be announced at a black-tie function at The Star, Sydney, tonight, Tuesday 10th December 2019.
Paddle Australia 2019 ASPAs Finalists
Female Athlete of the Year:
Jessica Fox (Canoe-Slalom): At only 25, Fox is the world’s most decorated & most successful individual canoe slalom paddler of all time, male or female. She took home seven medals at the 2019 World Cups, including three gold, bringing her overall World Cup gold medal tally to 30. Fox wrapped up the World Cup final with two gold medals in both the women’s K1 & C1 events, defending the overall World Cup crown in both classes. She won her 10th World Champion title, taking gold in the women’s C1 team with sister Noemie & Rosalyn Lawrence, securing selection to her third Olympic Games.
Male Para-Athlete of the Year:
Curtis McGrath (Para-canoe): Curtis continued to excel throughout 2019 when successfully defending his KL2 200m and VL3 200m world titles at the 2019 ICF Para canoe World Championships. The victories also marked his ninth and tenth consecutive world titles. He wrapped up the 2019 season with gold in the VL3 200m and silver in the KL200m at the Ready Steady Tokyo test event.
Female Para-Athlete of the Year:
Susan Seipel (Para-canoe): Susan continued her strong international performances winning two world championships medals. At the 2019 ICF Canoe Sprint and Paracanoe World Championships, Susan finished second in the VL2 200m and third in the KL2 200m kayak event. She also won silver at the ICF Paracanoe World Cup in Poland and wrapped up a successful year with a silver medal in the women’s KL2 200 at the Ready Steady Tokyo Test Event.
See all finalists: https://ais.gov.au/events/aspas
