Coutts named EnergyAustralia Swimmer of the Year

Swimming Australia
Published: Nov 24, 2012 11:33:26 AM Updated: Nov 30, 2012 03:08:59 PM

Five-time London Olympic medallist Alicia Coutts has been named the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimmer of the Year at a gala dinner in Melbourne tonight.

The 25-year-old won the award over fellow Olympic relay gold medallists Cate Campbell, Brittany Elmslie and Melanie Schlanger having previously taken out Swimming Australia’s top prize in 2010 with five gold medals at the Delhi Commonwealth Games.

A member of our gold medal winning freestyle relay team on the opening night of the Games, a silver medallist in the 200m IM and bronze medallist in the 100m fly, Coutts also picked up silver in the women's 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay, to equal Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould as a five-time medallist at a single Games.

Not to go unrecognised on the night, the relay quartet of Coutts, Campbell, Elmslie and Schlanger were awarded the Speedo Golden Moment of the Year, while men’s breaststroke silver medallist Christian Sprenger won the Swisse People’s Choice Award.

Paralympian of the Year Jacqueline Freney was named the Multi Class Swimmer of the Year for her remarkable achievement in London, winning eight gold medals including two world records, while Matthew Cowdrey won the EnergyAustralia Swimmers’ Swimmer Award as voted for by his peers.

The South Australian was also acknowledged for his outstanding contribution to Paralympic sport, becoming Australia’s most successful Paralympian of all-time in London, having now won a total of 13 gold medals from three Paralympic Games – with his London haul including five gold, two silver and one bronze medal.

Queenslander Melissa Gorman took out the Open Water Swimmer of the year, finishing 11^th at her second Olympic Games, while fellow distance swimmer Trent Grimsey was acknowledged for his achievements in setting a new world record for the English Channel crossing, as well as being crowned the FINA Open Water Swimming Grand Prix Champion for 2012.

AIS Coach John Fowlie was named coach of the year for steering Alicia Coutts to Olympic success, while Michael Freney, who coached daughter Jacqui to similar highs in London was named the Multi Class Coach of the Year.

In other awards, 18-year-old Brittany Elmslie won the Australian Sports Commission Discovery of the Year, Blair Evans won the Singapore Airlines Short Course Swimmer of the Year and the Age Group Coach of the Year went to Craig Jackson from Melbourne Vicentre.

A full list of 2012 Award winners is as follows:

Award:                                                                                  Winner:

EnergyAustralia Swimmer of the Year                             Alicia Coutts
EnergyAustralia Swimmers’ Swimmer of the Year             Matthew Cowdrey
Swisse People’s Choice Award                                       Christian Sprenger
Multi-Class Swimmer of the Year                                   Jacqueline Freney
Open Water Swimmer of the Year                                  Melissa Gorman
Singapore Airlines Short Course Swimmer of the Year       Blair Evans
Speedo Golden Moment of the Year                               Women 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay

Roger Smith Technical Official of the Year                        Ryan Arblaster 
Australian Sports Commission Discovery of the Year          Brittany Elmslie
Age Group Coach of the Year                                          Craig Jackson
Multi-Class Coach of the Year                                         Michael Freney
Open Water Coach of the Year                                        Ken Wood
Coach of the Year                                                         John Fowlie

International All Star Team
Cate Campbell
Melanie Schlanger
Bronte Barratt
Kylie Palmer
Emily Seebohm
Leisel Jones
Sally Foster
Jessicah Schipper
Alicia Coutts
Stephanie Rice
Melissa Gorman
James Magnussen
David McKeon
Mack Horton
Hayden Stoeckel
Mitch Larkin
Christian Sprenger
Brenton Rickard
Chris Wright
Nick D'Arcy
Daniel Tranter
Thomas Fraser-Holmes
Ky Hurst
Jacqueline Freney
Matt Cowdrey
Ellie Cole
Prue Watt
Blake Cochrane
Brenden Hall
EnergyAustralia Local Legend of the Year Jenni Trewren, Berri Swimming Club
EnergyAustralia Club of the Year                              
Joint winners: Mount Annan Swim Club (NSW) Helensvale Swim Club (QLD)

 Swimmer of the Year past winners: