Pearson named 2014 sportswoman of the year
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Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson has collected her second major honour in five days after winning the 2014 Sportswoman of the Year award.
Pearson took out the top gong at the Women’s Health I Support Women in Sport Awards in Sydney for her 100m hurdles victory at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games in August.
The honour comes just five days after the hurdler was also crowned the most inspirational Australian athlete of the past 12 months, taking out the Sport Australia Hall of Fame’s Don award named in honour of Sir Donald Bradman.
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Pearson recovered from a recurring hamstring injury to compete in Glasgow, then withstood withering criticism from Australia’s athletics coach Eric Hollingsworth on the eve of her event.
President of the Australian Womensport and Recreation Association Deidre Anderson praised Pearson as a role model.
“Sally overcame a major barrier to win in Glasgow and showed women and girls who face their own hurdles to participate in sport what can be achieved with courage and determination,” she said.
Anderson also praised the other major winners on the night, the Australian Diamonds Netball team, as the “amazons of Australian sport” for their recent dominant run of 16 straight wins, including eight over great rivals New Zealand.
The Diamonds took out three awards: Team of the Year; Leadership Legend award to Diamonds captain Laura Geitz; and Service to Sport to former goal shooter Catherine Cox who recently retired.
WOMEN IN SPORT AWARD WINNERS
Women’s Health Sports Woman of the Year SALLY PEARSON, 28, QLD, Hurdles
Prime Minister’s Outstanding Women In Sport Award JESSICA FOX, 20, NSW, Canoeing
One to Watch EMMA MCKEON, 20, NSW, Swimming
Service to the Sport CATHERINE COX, 38, VIC, Netball
Fair Fighter JORDAN MERCER, 20, QLD, Ironwoman
Local Heroine KATIE WILLIAMS, 21, NSW, Surf Life Saving
Leadership Legend LAURA GEITZ, 27, QLD, Netball
Moment of the Year WOMEN’S 4X100M SWIMMING RELAY TEAM, Commonwealth Games World Record
A-Team of the Year THE AUSTRALIAN NETBALL DIAMONDS, Netball
Person of Sporting Words MEL MCLAUGHLIN, 35, NSW, Fox Sports and Network 10