The Sport Australia Hall of Fame gala night was held last night. The event saw the Fox sisters, Jess and Noémie, honoured with the ‘Don Award’ for their inspiring performances at the Paris Olympics.
Fox sisters win Don Award
The ‘Don Award’, named after cricket legend Don Bradman, is an annual award for the Australian athletes or team whose sporting achievements have ‘most inspired the nation’. Jess, the elder Fox sister, brought her Olympic medal tally to six in Paris after winning gold in the K1 and C1 canoe slalom events. Days later, Noémie followed suit and won gold in the kayak cross, a canoe slalom event that made its debut at the Paris Games.
Lauren Jackson wins Dawn Award
Basketballer Lauren Jackson, who has represented Australia at five Olympics, was also honoured. The 43-year-old was the recipient of the Dawn Award, named after Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser, which honours an athlete who is ‘courageous, brave, and has changed sport for the better.’ Jackson, a three-time WNBA MVP, became the only Australian to win a medal at five Games after the Opals won bronze in Paris.
Hall of Fame Inductees
Aside from the awards, six Australian athletes were inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. The athletes were three-time surfing world champion Mick Fanning, Olympic gold medal-winning sprinter Sally Pearson, Bathurst 1000 champion Mark Skaife, dual-sport Paralympics champion Liesl Tesch, Kookaburras hockey captain Mark Knowles, and lawn bowls legend Karen Murphy.
Businessman Gerry Ryan and late basketball administrator Betty Watson were also inducted as general members for their contributions to Australian sport.
What they said
Jess Fox told AAP: “What’s hard is that often we’re up against each other for these sorts of awards and so that’s tough, so to actually win it together is really special. It’s been a journey that we’ve shared together, and Paris was so special for our whole family.”
Noémie said: “I’m used to being in the shadows, and obviously the world and Australia specifically, has seen Jess as a sporting legend, but it does feel like suddenly with everyone knowing my name and knowing kayak cross since Paris, it’s been this whole new world.”
Jackson, who required a knee replacement after Paris, said: “I got through and I’m so proud that I proved to myself that I could, and to be a part of something super special.”
