Sam Welsford Wins WAIS Athlete of the Year

Published On: 17 October 2016

The Western Australian Institute of Sport crowned cyclist Sam Welsford as the 2016 WAIS Athlete of the Year at its Annual Dinner at HBF Stadium last Saturday.

The evening celebrated the home coming of WA’s Olympians and Paralympians along with the achievements of WAIS staff, athletes and programs as the Western Australian Hall of Champions welcomed new members, to its illustrious ranks.

 

But it was 20 year-old cyclist Welsford who would claim the evening’s top award, becoming the youngest athlete since Lauren Mitchell in 2011 to earn that title, whilst also creating new history, by becoming the first former WAIS Junior Athlete of the Year, to claim the open category award.

Welsford’s effort in winning a Track World Championship title in London last March, as a member of the Australian Team Pursuit squad was supported by a debut Olympic campaign – where he and the Australians claimed silver in the same discipline in Rio, setting the second fastest time in history behind the victorious Great Britain team.

He won the award, ahead of a stellar field of talent that also included finalists; Colin Harrison and Russell Boaden (Sailing), who won gold in the three person sonar class at the 2016 Paralympic Games, swimmer Tamsin Cook – who at 17 years of age – won Olympic silver in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay and Madison de Rozario who in late 2015 won a maiden IPC Athletics World Championship – in the T53 800m before winning dual bronze at the Rio Paralympic Games.

 

Cook’s impressive campaign saw her retain her title as the WAIS Junior Athlete of the Year, claiming the trophy ahead of Youth World Champion sailors; Annabelle Davies and Hayley Clark (29er) and Zoe Thomson (laser radial) along with cycling talent Jade Haines.

 

Michael Palfery – who heads up the Challenge Podium Performance Centre at HBF Stadium and trains Cook, was named WAIS Coach of the Year, joining his young star in scooping the award for the second year in succession.

 

Palfery accepted the award ahead of an outstanding list of nominees that included; Cycling coach Clay Worthington, Netball lead Michelle Wilkins and Gymnastics coaches Joshua Fabian and Regan Molyneaux.

Men’s Water Polo coach Paul Oberman took to stage to accept the WAIS Program of the Year Award with Oberman and his program staff assisting three athletes onto the Australian Olympic Team as well as national club champions at both senior and junior level. WAIS Netball, Cycling and the Challenge Podium Performance Centre (Swimming) all joined Men’s Water Polo as nominees for the award.

Paralympian Brant Garvey collected the Personal Excellence Award for his efforts in setting up and flourishing his own personal branding business, titled noXcuses. The triathlete was awarded the honour ahead of; Jaime Roberts (Canoeing), Georgia Wilson (Hockey), Glencora McGhie (Water Polo), Aaron Younger (Water Polo) and Tamsin Cook (Swimming).