Race walker, Nathan Deakes and cyclist, Anna Meares were today named joint winners of the prestigious Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) Athlete of the Year award.

Announcing the winners in Canberra, the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis praised both athletes for their outstanding performances over the past 12 months.

“Nathan and Anna have proven themselves to be world-class champions and conducted themselves with dignity and honour,” Ms Ellis said.

“Both have suffered injuries over the year. I especially wish Anna a speedy recovery from her serious injury so she can compete at the Beijing Olympics.”

Ms Ellis said 2008 was going to be a particularly big year in the lives of all athletes who were striving to gain selection in Australia’s Olympic and Paralympic teams.

Nathan Deakes, an AIS scholarship holder since 1997, claimed gold for Australia when he won the 50 kilometre walk event at last year’s World Athletics Championships in Osaka.

The 30 year-old, who has already qualified for the Beijing Olympics, smashed the 50km world record with a time of 3:35:47 at the Australian Championships in Geelong late last year.

Anna Meares, 23, won the 500m individual time trial at last year’s World Track Cycling Championships in Spain, breaking her own world record, which she had set at the Sydney World Cup four months earlier.

An Athens gold medallist, Ms Meares also won bronze medals at the world championships in the keirin and team sprint, where she combined with WAIS rider Kristine Bayley. 

Other notable nominees for the AIS Athlete of the Year award were Tom Slingsby (sailing) and Dale Begg-Smith (freestyle mogul-skiing).

Winners of other awards announced today were:

• Malcolm Page / Nathan Wilmot (sailing) – AIS Team of the Year
• Craig Hilliard (track and field) – AIS Coach of the Year
• Gemma Beadsworth (water polo) – AIS Junior Athlete of the Year
• AIS Sailing – AIS Program of the Year.

Media contact:  Brent Hooley 0434 561 033
David Packwood (AIS) 0408 417 894