Swimming Rickard and Coutts take out major AIS swimming awards
17 Mar 2009
Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) scholarship holders Brenton Rickard and Alicia Coutts have capped off outstanding years by being named the AIS Male and Female Swimmer of the Year.
Rickard won silver medals in the 200m breastroke and 4x100m medley relay at last year’s Beijing Olympics and set a new Australian Commonwealth record in the 100m breastroke.
He also set new Commonwealth records in the 50m and 200m breastroke at the Australian Championships held in Sydney.
Coutts emerged from the Beijing Olympics as one of Australia’s real up and coming stars of the future.
The 21-year-old, competing in her first Olympics, finished fifth in the 200m Individual Medley final.
It followed an outstanding Australian Championships for Coutts who won silver in the 200m Individual Medley and finished fifth in the 100m butterfly.
Head coach of the AIS Swim Program, Shannon Rollason paid tribute to both swimmers.
‘Brenton has once again had a wonderful year under the guidance of his coach Vince Raleigh,’ Rollason said.
‘His performances at the Beijing Olympics were outstanding and were a direct result of his tremendous work ethic.
‘Brenton has not only proven himself to be a top quality swimmer but also an important member of the AIS and Australian swim teams.
‘Alicia continues to go from strength to strength under the coaching of John Fowlie.’
‘To make an Olympic final in your first Olympics is an achievement within itself but to finish fifth against the world’s best augurs well for Alicia come next year’s Commonwealth Games in New Delhi and the London 2012 Games.’
Other AIS swim award winners include: Individual Medley Swimmer of the Year – Alicia Coutts, Breastroke Swimmer of the Year – Tarnee White, Backstroke Swimmer of the Year – Ashley Delaney, Butterfly Swimmer of the Year – Felicity Galvez, Freestyle Swimmer of the Year – Linda MacKenzie, Rookie of the Year – Merindah Dingjan and Outstanding Performance of the Year – Tarnee White
Contact: David Packwood, AIS Media Officer Tel: 02 62141476 / 0408 417894
