Commonwealth Games champions awarded in Australia Day honours

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Commonwealth Games gold medal winning netballers Catherine Cox and Kimberlee Green have joined Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners including two-time Gold Coast gold medallist Madison de Rozario in receiving 2022 Australia Day honours.

Commonwealth Games gold medal winning netballers Catherine Cox and Kimberlee Green have joined Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic gold medal winners led by Commonwealth Games alumni wheelchair racer Madison de Rozario in receiving 2022 Australia Day honours and swimmers.

The trio are joined by fellow Commonwealth Games gold medallists Rowan Crothers, Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Brianna Throssell and Gold Coast 2018 Team Members turned Tokyo Olympic gold medallists Kaylee McKeown and Zac Stubblety-Cook in receiving honours.

Catherine Cox AM for significant service to netball as a player and coach.

A three-time Commonwealth Games medallist, Cox helped power the Australian Diamonds to the gold medal at the Manchester 2002 Commonwealth Games, returning at the Melbourne 2006 and Delhi 2010 Games to win silver medals. Cox earned 108 international caps during her career, the third most-capped Diamond in history, a two-time Australian international player of the year and a five-time domestic league champion.

Kimberlee Green OAM for service to netball.

Green is a two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, helping the Diamonds to the gold medal at the Glasgow 2014 Games, and part of the Delhi 2010 silver medal winning team that lost to New Zealand in double extra-time. Daughter of Commonwealth Games gold medal winning swimmer Denise Langford, Green represented the Diamonds in 74 matches, helping the side win two World Netball Championships. Green called time on her career in 2019 but has returned to the sport to coach the North Shore United in the NSW Premier League.

Australia’s gold medal winning Tokyo Paralympic and Olympic stars have been honoured with The Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM), featuring seven Commonwealth Games Australia alumni amongst the list of elite sportspeople recognised.

Madison de Rozario OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

The two-time Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games gold medallist broke through at the Tokyo Paralympics to win her first Paralympic gold medal. De Rozario finished the Games with three medals, including gold in the women’s T53 800m and T54 marathon, and bronze in the T54 1500m.

Rowan Crothers OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Glasgow 2014 gold medallist Crothers was a star of the Tokyo Paralympics, winning three medals, including gold in the men’s 50m S10 freestyle and as part of the 4x100m 34 points freestyle relay and silver in the men’s 100m S10 freestyle. His post-race celebrations and comments endeared him to the nation.

Emma McKeon AM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

At the Tokyo Olympics, McKeon became the most decorated Australian Olympian in history, winning seven medals at the Games, four of them gold including the women’s 100m and 200m crowns. An eight-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, McKeon is on track to become the most decorated Australian Commonwealth Games athlete at the upcoming Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games.

Ariarne Titmus OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

After making her international debut for Australia at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games winning three gold medals, Titmus became a household name at the Tokyo Olympics, winning four medals, two of them gold, including a stunning 400m swim defeating United States swimming superstar and world record holder Katie Ledecky by less than a second.

Titmus spoke recently of how the Gold Coast Games prepared for her for being in the Olympic environment and targeting the upcoming Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

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After a stunning 2021 campaign that included winning two Olympic gold medals, the three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist is now targeting the upcoming Birmingham Games.

Kaylee McKeown OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

After debuting at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, McKeown became a revelation at the Tokyo Olympics, winning three gold medals, including the 100m and 200m backstroke titles and as part of the 4x100m medley relay, with bronze in the 4x100m mixed relay team.

Zac Stubblety-Cook OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

After debuting at the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, Stubblety-Cook continued his improvement to become gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympics in the men’s 200m breaststroke, he won bronze as part of Australia’s 4x100m mixed medley relay.

Brianna Throssell OAM for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

Brianna won gold at the Tokyo Olympics in the women’s 4x100m medley relay and bronze as part of the 4x200m freestyle and 4x100m mixed medley relay teams. She won gold as part of the 4x200m freestyle relay team at the Gold Coast 2018 Games, and bronze in the women’s 100m butterfly.

Other Tokyo Paralympic and Olympic gold medallists recognised in 2022 Australia Day honours:

Mollie O’Callaghan OAM (swimming) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Olympic Games 2020.

Vanessa Low OAM (Para-athletics) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Darren Hicks OAM (Para-cycling) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Paige Greco OAM (Para-cycling) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Emily Petricola OAM (Para-cycling) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Benjamin Hance OAM (Para-swimming) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Ben Popham OAM (Para-swimming) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

William Martin OAM (Para-swimming) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Amanda Reid OAM (Para-cycling) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Lina Lei OAM (Para-table tennis) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

Qian Yang OAM (Para-table tennis) for service to sport as a gold medallist at the Tokyo Paralympic Games 2020.

In other awards,

Gold Coast 2018 Games ambassador and Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist and Australian Team flagbearer Patty Mills received an AM for significant service to basketball, to charitable initiatives and to the Indigenous community.

Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games Opening Ceremony performer Delta Goodrem received an AM for significant service to the not-for-profit sector, and to the performing arts.

Former Australian Sports Commission chair John Wylie AM received a Companion of the Order of Australia (AC) awarded for eminent service to the community through leadership in the sporting, cultural, philanthropic and business sectors.

Philanthropist and business leader Gina Rinehart received an AO for distinguished service to the mining sector, to the community through philanthropic initiatives, and to sport as a patron.

As always, a large segment of Australians around the nation are celebrated and honoured for their invaluable contributions to grass roots sporting organisations in Commonwealth Games sports.

Grass roots contributors in Commonwealth Games sports included:

  • Athletics Official Bob Cruise – OAM for service to athletics.
  • Former Cricket Victoria CEO and now national selector Tony Dodemaide – OAM for services to sports administration and to cricket.
  • World champion, Olympian and Swimming Australia Athlete Wellbeing and Engagement Manager Linley Frame – OAM for service to swimming and the community.
  • Brisbane Women’s Hockey Association Life Member Lynette Thomas – OAM for services to hockey.
  • South Australian local hockey administrator John Ziesing – OAM service to hockey.
  • Darwin swimming official Paul Carter – OAM for service to swimming.
  • Former NSW State Selection Committee Chairman Ken Oliver – OAM service to lawn bowls.
  • Former Netball NSW director Carol Murphy – OAM for service to netball.
  • Swimming Queensland Life Member and former Swimming Queensland director Simon Hooton – OAM for service to swimming, and to the community.
  • Swimming WA Life Member and Australian Sports Medal recipient Shirley Stephens – OAM for service to swimming.
  • Swimming WA Life Member Juliana Stonor – OAM for service to swimming.
  • Geelong Cycling club racer Graham Gibson – OAM for service to cycling, and to the community.

Commonwealth Games Australia congratulates all the recipients.

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