Golfer Karrie Webb, racing driver Mark Webber and football stars Brad Fittler and Chris Judd have had their legendary status underlined as four of nine new inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
Netballer Catherine Cox, softballer Tanya Harding, triple Commonwealth tenpin bowling champion Cara Honeychurch, basketball coach Adrian Hurley and Paralympic pioneer Sir George Bedbrook were also inducted on Wednesday.
Two current members will be elevated to Legend of Australian Sport status when The Don Award and The Dawn Award are announced on December 8.
Harding won medals at four successive Olympics, Webb collected 41 LPGA titles and Webber ended a 28-year winning drought for Australian drivers in Formula One.
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Judd twice picked up the Brownlow Medal, while NSW State of Origin coach Fittler is a former Australia rugby league captain and won a premiership at two different clubs.
“John Bertrand (Sport Australia Hall of Fame chairman) called me … I’m like, ‘Why would John Bertrand be calling me? To sign up to his sailing team?’,” Harding said of finding out about her nomination.
“It’s in recognition of my service to the sport and Australian sport, but I’m hoping it’s a bit about my character and how I held myself.
“I’ll always be known as someone that was just like a fierce competitor. I was called a ‘smiling assassin’ many times.”
Inductees are nominated by the public and awarded by a selection panel chaired by Bruce McAvaney.
The nine new members will join Sir Donald Bradman, Dawn Fraser, Cathy Freeman, Ian Thorpe, Raelene Boyle, Sir Jack Brabham, Layne Beachley, John Eales and Bart Cummings on the Sport Australia honour roll.
Honeychurch is the first tenpin bowler to be inducted.
“It’s great for the sport and not only to me personally,” she said.
“I’m sure I won’t be the last. There are some amazing tenpin bowlers that Australia’s produced.”
* Sir George Bedbrook (administrator) – The orthopaedic surgeon and advocate led the first Australian team for athletes with a disability at the 1957 Stoke Mandeville Games, the forerunner to the Paralympics.
* Catherine Cox (netball) – A 16-year international career with 108 Diamonds caps, winning the 2002 Commonwealth Games and two world championships.
* Brad Fittler (rugby league) – A premier with Penrith and the Sydney Roosters, Fittler captained NSW 14 times and his country in 20 of his 40 Tests, winning three world cups.
* Tanya Harding (softball) – Played 283 times for Australia over 15 years, winning medals at four consecutive Olympics.
* Cara Honeychurch (tenpin bowling) – A world champion and three-time Commonwealth Games medallist in 1998, Honeychurch won eight titles on the Professional Women’s Bowling Association tour.
* Dr Adrian Hurley (basketball) – Helped establish the Australian Institute of Sport basketball program and served as the head coach or assistant coach of the national team for more than a decade, guiding the Boomers to fourth at the 1988 Seoul Olympics.
* Chris Judd (Australian rules football) – A six-time All-Australian, including one as captain, Judd won Brownlow Medals at West Coast and Carlton in a 279-game AFL career.
* Karrie Webb (golf) – Seven majors are among her 41 LPGA tour titles, to go with 13 Australian, 15 European and three Japanese events. The youngest person at the time to reach the World Golf Hall of Fame in 2005.
* Mark Webber (motor racing) – Broke a 28-year winning drought for Australian drivers in F1, the first of nine grand prix victories. Secured 42 podium finishes and 13 pole positions and also won the 2015 FIA World Endurance Championship.
© AAP
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