The 2024 AusTriathlon Awards took centre stage at the QT Gold Coast on Sunday evening, marking a night of celebration and recognition for the sport’s champions.
The evening was headlined by the Hall of Fame inductions of two of Australia’s most iconic triathletes: 2012 IRONMAN World Champion Peter Jacobs and Rio 2016 Paralympic Games gold medallist Katie Kelly OAM.
Their inductions were a fitting highlight to an event that also celebrated the achievements of athletes, coaches, and officials across the year.
In a night filled with well-deserved accolades, the President’s Special Recognition Award was presented to Gold Coast triathlon legend Jenny Alcorn, acknowledging her remarkable three-decade long career as both an athlete and a coach, alongside her resilience in battling a rare brain tumour.
As an athlete, Alcorn has achieved remarkable success, including an elite duathlon world title, four World Triathlon Age Group Championships, and an IRONMAN Age Group World Championship.
As a coach, she has mentored athletes ranging from juniors to world-class competitors, including Olympians Emma Snowsill and Ashleigh Gentle
Since 2023, Alcorn has been battling Glioblastoma, a rare and aggressive brain tumour, showing the same unwavering spirit that has defined her career.
Legend of the Sport status was awarded to Gayelene Clews, Marion Hermitage, and Richard Burnell.
Clews won the 1984 Nepean Triathlon and the 1985 United States Triathlon Series. After retiring, she became a sports psychologist and mentor, positively influencing many elite athletes.
Hermitage and Burnell both made their contributions to the sport as stalwarts of the Australian Age Group Team. Hermitage has represented Australia at the World Championships 15 times and won two world titles, while Burnell has competed at 14 World Championships and earned six medals.
The Service to the Sport Awards recognised three key contributors: David Budge, Mark Pringle, and Royce Fairbrother, each playing a role in advancing triathlon in Australia.
Budge has organised over 200 triathlon events including state, Australian, and World Championships events, playing a key role in growing the sport in Western Australia.
Pringle supported through sponsorship acquisition and event organisation, directing major events like the ITU World Cup and Sydney 2000 Olympic Games triathlon.
Fairbrother founded the Devonport Triathlon and has supported the event for over 30 years, while also promoting junior development in Tasmania and representing Australia at four Age Group World Championships.
Matt Hauser emerged as the big winner from the Athlete Awards, securing Athlete’s Athlete of the Year and a fourth consecutive Male Performance of the Year Award.
His standout season included a win at the World Triathlon Championship Series Hamburg, second place at World Triathlon Championship Series Yokohama, and a seventh-place finish at the Olympics – Australia’s best men’s Games result in two decades.
Ashleigh Gentle claimed a fifth overall and third straight Female Performance of the Year award, a record no other athlete has matched. Her victories at the T100 Triathlon World Tour events in Singapore and London helped propel her to World Championship silver.
Lauren Parker was named Female Para Triathlon Performance of the Year for the fifth year in-a-row after a season that saw her claim gold at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games, along with World Championship bronze, and a victory in the World Triathlon Para Series in Yokohama.
Male Para Triathlon Performance of the Year was awarded to Jack Howell. The 20-year-old had a breakout season that included seventh on his Paralympic Games debut in Paris, a first World Triathlon Para Series win in Devonport, and silver medal at the World Championships in Torremolinos.
Grace Brimelow was awarded the Chris Hewitt Emerging Athlete Award, making history as only the second para triathlete to receive the honour, following Lauren Parker’s win in 2018.
At just 17 years old, she became the youngest para triathlete to represent the Australia at the Paralympic Games. Her season included claiming her first World Triathlon Para Series gold medal in Devonport.
The John Ison Award, recognising exceptional contributions by officials in Australia and internationally, was awarded to David Williams and Michael Thompson.
Williams, with 18 years of service, revitalised key technical initiatives, such as updating the Event Operations Manual and developing safety policies like the Pillion Safety policy, while Thompson, an official for over 12 years, earned recognition for his contributions to both grassroots and international events, including his role on the Technical Team at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.
The Rob George Award, recognising outstanding contributions by officials to the technical program in their home state, was awarded to Christina Thorne from New South Wales and David Schutz from South Australia.
Thorne, a respected leader on the NSW Technical Committee, has mentored developing officials and contributed significantly to the local program, while Schutz, brought valuable international perspectives to South Australia’s technical community, mentoring local officials with experience at World Triathlon and IRONMAN events.
Dan Atkins took home a record-breaking fifth High Performance Coach Award, coaching Paralympic gold medallist Lauren Parker, and Olympic representatives Matt Hauser and Natalie Van Coevorden, among others.
Peter McKenna was awarded Pathways Coach of the Year for his work developing Australia’s future champions. He coached rising star Jack Woodberry, who won the Oceania Triathlon Junior Championships and achieved Australia’s best result at the World Triathlon Junior Championships. McKenna also actively supports the Tasmania State team as coach for southern region of the state.
Age Group Coach of the Year was awarded to Nicole Ward for her outstanding work with the Warringah Triathlon Club and her leadership in initiatives like Finish Lines Not Finish Times and the Inspire 2 Tri Female Coaching programs.
AusTriathlon Chief Executive Officer, Tim Harradine, applauded the winners, describing the evening as a fantastic opportunity to celebrate the success and spirit of the triathlon in Australia.
“It is an honour to be here tonight as we come together to celebrate the individuals who exemplify the best of AusTriathlon,” Harradine said, in his address.
“Tonight is more than a celebration – it’s a reflection of what makes triathlon extraordinary: striving for more, the courage to embrace challenges, and inspiring others. Each of you in this room—athletes, coaches, officials, volunteers, and staff—has played a vital role in shaping what triathlon means in Australia.
“To our award recipients and nominees—your achievements remind us all of what’s possible when passion meets purpose. You are the reason our community continues to thrive, and your commitment inspires those around you to aim higher and dream bigger.
“Let us celebrate you tonight, not as individuals alone but as part of a united movement, showing the world what Australian triathlon stands for. Congratulations to all and thank you for being a true force behind our sport’s extraordinary journey.”
2024 AusTriathlon Award Recipients
Hall of Fame Inductee – Pete Jacobs
Hall of Fame Inductee – Katie Kelly OAM
President’s Special Recognition Award – Jenny Alcorn
Legend of the Sport Award – Gayelene Clews
Legend of the Sport Award – Marion Hermitage
Legend of the Sport Award – Richard Burnell
Service to the Sport Award – David Budge
Service to the Sport Award – Mark Pringle
Service to the Sport Award – Royce Fairbrother
Athlete’s Athlete of the Year – Matt Hauser
Male Performance of the Year – Matt Hauser
Female Performance of the Year – Ashleigh Gentle
Female Para Triathlon Performance of the Year – Lauren Parker
Male Para Triathlon Performance of the Year – Jack Howell
Chris Hewitt Emerging Athlete Award – Grace Brimelow
John Ison Award – David Williams & Michael Thompson
Rob George Award – Christina Thorne & David Schutz
High Performance Coach Award – Dan Atkins
Pathways Coach of the Year – Peter McKenna
Age Group Coach of the Year – Nicole Ward
