Australia’s female sports stars came together at the Australian Health I Support Women In Sports awards to honour their most inspirational athletes and to set their sights on next year’s Rio Olympics.
Olympic 100 metres hurdles Champion Sally Pearson, who’s recovering from a broken wrist, admitted to losing confidence this year but said seeing everyone at the awards night had: “hugely motivated and inspired me”.
"I've had a tough year this year and lost a lot of confidence," Pearson said.
"But when I see all the faces here, it really inspires me and puts that confidence back in for next year.
"I'm really looking forward to a fantastic year."
Pearson, the 2012 Olympic 100m hurdles champion, missed this year's world championships after requiring surgery following a wrist injury in a Diamond League meet in June.
One of Pearson's 2012 Olympic teammates and good friends, cyclist Anna Meares, won the Sports Woman of the Year award on Tuesday night.
Olympic hurdles champion Sally Pearson admits 2015 has been a tough year and she's lost a lot of confidence. Source: SBS
Meares, who this year won an eleventh world title to go with her two Olympic gold medals, couldn't be present to receive her award as she is in Colombia for this week's first track cycling World Cup meet of the season.
Recently retired Matildas goalkeeper Melissa Barbieri told SBS News the chance to get together and pay tribute is important:
“This is about showing those young girls that we can be celebrated, and that we can be tough,” she said.
The struggles of the Matildas to secure a long term pay deal have shone a light on the financial reality that is women’s sport in Australia.
Netball was among the most successful of sports at the awards with the World Cup-winning Diamonds taking out Team of the Year and their captain Laura Geitz scoring the Leadership Legend gong.
Olympic gold medal winning swimmer Susie O'Neill was the first woman inducted into the event's new Hall of Fame, while dual cricket and football international Ellyse Perry won the Outstanding Woman in Sport award selected by the federal Minister for Health and Sport Sussan Ley.
At the 2012 London Games, 46 per cent of the team were women, but they won 58 per cent of Australia’s medals.
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