Junior Australian Canoe Sprint team member Claudia Bailey has today been named as one of 10 new recipients of a Tier 2 scholarship in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) Scholarship and Mentoring Program.
The 10 athletes, including Bailey, will each receive a grant of $5000 plus support from SAHOF and its esteemed member base over the next 15 months.
Paddle Australia CEO Phil Jones said this is a fantastic recognition for Claudia.
“We are thrilled that Claudia has been selected to receive a Sport Australia Hall of
Fame Scholarship for 2023. Claudia is a true competitor and an exciting young talent in the sport of canoe sprint,” Jones said.
“Claudia joins an illustrious club as one of only, now, eight paddling athletes to
receive a SAHOF scholarship.
“We are extremely grateful to the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for their ongoing support of our sport and our athletes, including Claudia,” he said.
Bailey said she was humbled to learn she had been awarded a SAHOF scholarship for 2023.
“To be a successful SAHOF recipient means so much to me and makes me feel like I
am getting recognised for all the hard work and dedication I have put towards
kayaking and surf lifesaving,” Bailey said.
“I am very grateful to be recognised for this prestigious award amongst other elite athletes around Australia.
“To have SAHOF behind me will help encourage and give me inspiration to develop as an athlete and take me to the next step,” she said.
Bailey will soon become a dual Australian representative, named as part of the Australian Youth Life Saving Team that will travel to Italy for the World Life Saving Championships.
Surf Life Saving Australia CEO Adam Weir offered Claudia his congratulations.
“It is a fantastic honour for Claudia to be included in the group of athletes who have
been selected to receive the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship for 2023,” Weir said.
“Claudia was the most successful individual athlete at the 2022 Australian Surf Life
Saving Championships collecting seven gold medals and three silver medals whilst
competing for her club Northcliffe, to finish on top of the individual point score tally.
“These outstanding performances saw Claudia named in the Australian Youth Life
Saving Team that will travel to Italy to compete in the World Life Saving
Championships next month and she is indeed a worthy recipient of this honour.
“On behalf of Surf Life Saving Australia I would like to congratulate Claudia and thank
the Sport Australia Hall of Fame for recognising her ability and future potential,” he said.
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program Chair Sue Stanley OAM said, “Each year I am amazed by the calibre of applicants for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship & Mentoring Program. It has been an exciting journey to see past and current scholarship holders compete especially with the success of the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympic Games and most recently the Commonwealth Games. It is a privilege to play a small part in assisting elite young Australian athletes by, motivating and inspiring them to achieve their goals.”
