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The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) has confirmed the finalists for Female Para-athlete of the Year, with two weeks to go until the AIS Sport Performance Awards (ASPAs).

World champion Melissa Perrine features in a strong field for the Female Para-athlete of the Year award, a well-deserved recognition for her stand-out international season with sighted guide Bobbi Kelly. Together, they achieved 12 medals on the World Cup circuit and four medals at the 2019 World Para-alpine Skiing Championships – gold in the super combined, silver in the giant slalom and super-G, and bronze in the slalom.

Also among the nominees is Tiffany Thomas Kane, who won a world title in the women’s 100m breaststroke SB7 and shaved nearly three seconds off her personal best time to set a new World Para-swimming Championships record in the same event. She also made the finals of the women’s 50m butterfly S6, women’s 50m freestyle S7, women’s 200m individual medley SM7, women’s 4x100m freestyle 34 Points and women’s 4x100m medley 34 Points.

Paige Greco achieved selection to her first World Championships team for the 2019 Union Cycliste Internationale Track World Championships in March, where she won two gold medals and set two world records, and achieved another world title at the Road World Championships in September.

Joining Greco on the Australian Para-cycling team was Emily Petricola, who also won World Championships gold medals on the track and road – gold in the women’s 3000m individual pursuit C4, gold in the women’s time trial C4, and bronze in the women’s scratch race C4.

Susan Seipel continued her run of strong international performances, winning silver and bronze at the 2019 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Sprint World Championships, silver at the 2019 ICF Para-canoe World Cup in Poland, and silver at the Ready Steady Toko Test Event for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games.

Finally, Lauren Parker commenced 2019 by winning the Oceania Triathlon Union Para-triathlon Oceania Championships in Newcastle, NSW, and International Triathlon Union (ITU) Para-triathlon World Cup in Devonport, TAS. She then placed third at the ITU World Para-triathlon Series in Yokohama, Japan, before winning gold at the 2019 ITU Para-triathlon World Championships in Lausanne, Switzerland, and again at the 2019 ITU Para-triathlon World Cup in Banyoles, Spain.

The winner will be announced at a black tie function in Sydney, NSW, on 10 December.

By the AIS
Posted: 26/11/2019