Zac Stubblety-Cook Among Aussie Swimmers Nominated For AIS Sport Performance Awards

2022 world champion Zac Stubblety-Cook is one of four Australian swimmers nominated for an AIS Sport Performance Award (ASPA) next month, which recognize the achievements of the country’s best athletes over the course of the year.

Coming off of winning the Olympic title in the men’s 200 breaststroke in Tokyo, Stubblety-Cook had a big 2022, winning gold in the event at both the World Championships in Budapest and the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The 23-year-old also won a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games and a silver at Worlds in the mixed 400 medley relay, and added additional Commonwealth silvers in the 100 breast and men’s 400 medley relay.

Stubblety-Cook is one of four nominees for Male Athlete of the Year, joined by golfer Cam Smith, skateboarder Kieran Woolley and snowboarder Scott James.

Kyle Chalmers won the award in 2016, the year in which we on Olympic gold in the men’s 100 freestyle in Rio.

In 2015, Emily Seebohm won Women’s Athlete of the Year honors after claiming four medals at the World Championships in Kazan. Despite some strong performances from names such as Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown, no female swimmers were nominated this year.

Also earning nominations were Katja Dedekind for Female Para Athlete of the Year, and Timothy Hodge and Col Pearse, who are both up for Male Para Athlete of the Year.

Dedekind won the World/Commonwealth double in the women’s 50 free S13, setting a new world record in the process, while Hodge won gold in the men’s 200 IM SM9 at the Para Championships, also breaking the world record. Pearse won two silver medals at the World Championships before winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in the men’s 100 fly S10.

The Australian Dolphins swim team as a whole has been nominated for High Performance Program of the Year, having had standout showing at both the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. Notably, they had the country’s second-best showing ever at a Commonwealth Games, winning 25 gold and 65 total medals.

The winners of each category will be honored at a ceremony in Sydney on Thursday December 15.

You can find all of the nominees here.