Olli Hoare’s historic 1500m triumph at the 2022 Commonwealth Games has earned him the Bruce McAvaney Award for the best performance of the year in Australian track and field.
The 26-year-old Hoare emerged triumphant in Birmingham against a high-class field including world champions Timothy Cheruiyot from Kenya and Scotland’s Jake Wightman.
He joined the legendary Herb Elliott as the only Australian men to win a Commonwealth 1500m title.
“When I look back on that performance, it’s still so surreal to me,” Hoare said.
“To have achieved gold and to be part of the legacy in the 1500m in Australia means a lot and I’ve been looking back on it fondly.
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“To be able to say I ran a Commonwealth Games championship and won gold like Herb Elliott did, and then with Bruce (McAvaney) commentating it is amazing.
“I can’t stress enough how lucky I feel to have done it for Australia.”
Hoare also claimed the John Landy Award for men’s able-bodied athlete of the year.
Back-to-back javelin world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber won the Marjorie Jackson award as women’s able-bodied athlete of the year.
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Award winners
Bruce McAvaney Award for performance of the year – Olli Hoare
Marjorie Jackson Award for female able-bodied athlete of the year – Kelsey-Lee Barber
John Landy Award for male able-bodied athlete of the year – Olli Hoare
Russell Short Award for para athlete of the year – Evan O’Hanlon
Female junior athlete of the year – Tiana Boras
Male junior athlete of the year – Calab Law
Coach of the year (open) – Paul Burgess
Coach of the year (junior) – Andrew Iselin
Official of the year – Tony Williams
-AAP
