Champion hurdler Sally Pearson is a beacon in women’s sport.
Last night the 28-year-old took out the Women in Sport Award for her Commonwealth Games gold despite all the drama surrounding a clash with then head coach Eric Hollingsworth, who was subsequently sacked.
That makes a second major recognition inside a week for “Super Sally”, having won the coveted Don Award from Sport Australia.
She beat a top field for The Don that included express paceman Mitchell Johnson, tennis player Nick Kyrgios, aerial skier Lydia Lassila, basketballer Patrick Mills, Formula One’s Daniel Ricciardo, and marathoner Michael Shelley.
It’s high time women in Australian sport get more coverage in the media; they have earned it
The netballers convincingly won their series against arch rival New Zealand, Sam Stosur won the Japan Open, and Ellyse Perry keeps shining for both the Australian cricket and football teams since she was 16. She’s now 23, but still those achievements keep getting buried in the media.
Sport Australia selection chairman Rob de Castella summed up Sally Pearson’s performance to a T.
“She showed incredible strength and character despite a high profile clash with head coach Eric Hollingworth”.
It must be added she also overcame on-going hamstring problems before she claimed the Commonwealth Games gold.
And it’s time to salute other women who have done so well in the last year.
The PM’s outstanding award to slalom canoeist Jessica Fox (20) for her historic double in capturing the K1/C1 double at the world championships.
The one to watch is swimmer Emma McKeon (also 20) for her four gold and two bronze medals at the Commonwealth Games on debut.
Services to Sport went to recently retired netballer Catherine Cox (38) who won 108 international caps in a stellar 16-year career at the top, captaining the Diamonds nine times.
Moment of the Year went to the 4×100 swimming relay team at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow – Cate Campbell, Emma McKeon, Bronte Campbell, and Melanie Schlanger – for their gold in world record time.
And the Team of the Year to the in-form netballers, the Diamonds.
Congratulations to them all, and especially to Sally Pearson, who keeps setting the benchmark for women’s sport, not just in this country, but around the world.
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