06 Feb 2009

This evening Federal Minister for Youth and Sport the Hon. Kate Ellis MP declared AIS athletes Heath Francis (Track and Field) and Ken Wallace (Flatwater Canoe) joint winners of the 2008 AIS Athlete of the Year award.

‘Both athletes have proven themselves as world-class champions in their respective sports, conducting themselves in a way that would make any Australian proud,’ Minister Ellis said.

‘Their performances at the Beijing Paralympic and Olympic Games were among some of the truly great moments in Australian sport.

‘The Australian Government takes great pride in the achievements of our athletes and continues to fund cutting-edge research and training at the AIS to help build on our great sporting success.

‘The AIS is a shining light of what can be achieved through the dedication of athletes and the innovation of coaches, sports scientists and support staff,’ said Minister Ellis.

Heath Francis was Australia’s Usain Bolt at the Beijing 2008 Paralympic Games, claiming three gold medals in the men’s amputee class 100 metres, 200 metres and 400-metre sprint.

Additionally, Francis set two new world record times in the T46 200 metres (21.74 seconds) and 400 metres (47.69 seconds) and recorded a personal best of 11.05 seconds in winning the 100 metres.

At the awards, Francis made a special mention of the support the AIS had provided him with, since arriving in 2003:

‘Coming here has really professionalised my sport and taken me to places within myself and also within the sport that I had no idea were possible. This room is filled with people who want to achieve their absolute best and it’s just really, really wonderful being able to do that.’

Ken Wallace won a stunning gold medal in the men’s K1 500-metre kayak at the Beijing Olympics. It was Australia’s first individual kayak gold medal since Clint Robinson’s triumph in the K1 1000 metres at Barcelona in 1992.

Wallace also won a bronze medal in the K1 1000 metres, becoming the first Australian to win a medal in both kayak events at a single Olympic Games.

During the AIS awards, Wallace said it was overwhelming to be in such elite company.

‘To put myself in that category I find a little bit hard still but hopefully at the London Olympic Games we can keep the ball rolling and maybe the next one after that as well,' said Wallace.

Other outstanding AIS athletes nominated for the Institute’s top award included Jared Tallent (Track and Field), Anna Meares (Track Cycling), Matthew Cowdrey (APC Swimming) and Brenton Rickard (Swimming).

The major winners at the 2008 AIS Awards were:

• AIS Athlete of the Year: Heath Francis (Track and Field) and Ken Wallace (Flatwater Canoe)
• AIS Junior Athlete of the Year: Evan O’Hanlon (Track and Field)
• AIS Coach of the Year: Victor Kovalenko (Sailing)
• AIS Program of the Year: Australian/AIS Sailing.