18-year-old Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers came away with the top honors at Swimming Australia’s Gala Dinner in Brisbane this weekend.
Chalmers was named the Olympic Program Swimmer of the Year for his Rio Olympic gold medal-winning 100 free, and his crucial performance in Australia’s bronze-medal 400 freestyle and medley relays. He also picked up the Golden Moment of the Year for his 100 free win, which made him the first Australian since Michael Wenden in 1968 and only the fourth Australian ever to win an Olympic title in the event.
400 free Olympic champion Mack Horton came away with the Swimmers’ Swimmer of the Year award, an honor voted on by the athletes of the Olympic team.
Three-time Rio Paralympic gold medalist and two-time Rio silver medalist and double S8 world record holder Maddison Elliott won the Paralympic Program Swimmer of the Year. Her gold medals came in the 400 free relay, S8 100 free, and S8 50 free (world record), and she won her silvers in the 400 medley relay and S8 100 back.
Jarrod Poort and Chelsea Gubecka shared the honor of Open Water Swimmer of the Year.
2016 SWIMMING AUSTRALIA GALA DINNER AWARD WINNERS
Club of the Year: Warwick Swim Club, QLD
Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre Local Legend of the Year: Wayne Gadd (Norwood Swimming Club, SA)
Roger Smith Memorial Technical Official of the Year: Teresa Goddard
AIS Discovery of the Year: Rachael Watson
Golden Moment of the Year: Kyle Chalmers (100m freestyle Olympic gold)
Age Group Coach of the Year: Dean Boxall (St Peters Western)
Open Water Coach of the Year: Michael Sage (Kawana Waters)
Hancock Prospecting Paralympic Coach of the Year: Harley Connolly (Lawnton Swim Club)
Hancock Prospecting Coach of the Year: Michael Bohl (St Peters Western)
Open Water Swimmer of the Year: Chelsea Gubecka (Kawana Waters, QLD) and Jarrod Poort (Wests Illawarra, NSW)
Paralympic Swimmer of the Year: Maddie Elliott (NuSwim, NSW)
Olympic Program Swimmer of the Year: Kyle Chalmers (Marion Swim Club, SA)
Hancock Prospecting Swimmers Swimmer of the Year: Mack Horton (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC)
Speedo Services to the Australian Swim Team: Bronte Barratt, Matthew Cowdrey, Marieke D’Cruz, Ashley Delaney, Mel Gorman, Sally Hunter, Meaghan Nay, Kylie Palmer, Andrew Pasterfield, Sarah Rose, Christian Sprenger, Jeremy Tidy, Melanie Wright, Chris Wright, Alicia Coutts
AB
Maddison Elliott now claims that she is unable to cut up food, do up buttons and that she trips over her own feet. Absolute garbage. She was a champion T38 runner for goodness sake – until Australia deleted her from their database. Absolute scam by Australia. I’ve watched her – shame on her and her family.
Who should have won? Ellie Cole? She knows what’s going on and should have stood up during Glasgow 2015 and Rio 2016. She didn’t. Too focussed on her own campaign and SALs ‘our team our family’ coverup. So No. Brendan Hall? His coach is now coaching Lakeisha Patterson and he won Paralympic Coach of the year. He won’t rock the boat.
Shame… Read more »
Of course Maddison Elliott won, she competed in a class way beneath her true ability. At least the Brits had the decency not to award Stephanie Millward the top accolade. The Aussies have just got to keep their big fat lie going.
Chalmers should have been overall Swimmer of the year, shame to deny him that crown.