Swimming Australia congratulates Jacqueline Freney on Prime Minister’s Award
Swimming Australia
Published: Dec 5, 2012 10:44:57 AM Updated: Dec 5, 2012 11:02:51 AM
Swimming Australia President Barclay Nettlefold has today congratulated Paralympic star Jacqueline Freney on behalf of the entire sport, after receiving the Prime Minister’s Women in Sport Award in Sydney last night.
Named the Australian Paralympian of the Year last month, and Swimming Australia’s Multi Class Swimmer of the Year as well as a member of the All Star Team, the Prime Minister’s Award tops off a fantastic 2012 for the 20-year old from Northern NSW.
Presented with the award by Minister for Sport, Senator Kate Lundy at the Australian Women’s Health I Support Women in Sport Awards, Nettlefold said Freney’s performance and dedication to the sport has been truly rewarded this year.
“Jacqueline has had an outstanding year, winning eight gold medals in London of which two were in world record time, and her commitment and dedication to high performance swimming is unquestioned,” said Nettlefold.
“Her success is also a tribute to her family support network, and particularly her father and coach Michael Freney and grandfather Peter Freney OAM, who have played such an integral role in her swimming development.”
“The overall performance of our swim team at the Paralympic Games was truly memorable, a best-ever result of 18 gold, seven silver and 12 bronze medals, and certainly a performance that raised the bar for Paralympic swimming success going forward.”
The Prime Minister’s Women in Sport Award was reinstated by the Gillard Government earlier this year, making Ms Freney the first recipient since 1996.
The Awards recognise the achievements of Australian sportswomen in all levels of sport from the grass-roots through to high performance. They celebrate female athletes from all fields and aim to encourage more women to participate in sport.
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