Australian of the Year awards will be announced on Thursday and there are a few sports people in serious contention to take out honours in 2023.
It’s that time of year again in Australia when citizens from across the country are recognised for their hard work and achievements, with four athletes in the running this time around.
Three have been shortlisted for Young Australian of the Year whilst former Socceroo Craig Foster has been nominated by New South Wales for the top honour of Australian of the Year.
If successful, Foster will make it consecutive years that an athlete has been awarded the prize following Paralympic tennis champion Dylan Alcott winning it last January.
Many sports people have claimed the coveted Australian of the Year title in the past with 14 previous winners including legends such as Cathy Freeman, Dawn Fraser and Adam Goodes.
Craig Foster – Australian of the Year
Former Socceroos captain Craig Foster may have just been nominated for Australian of the Year honours but the reasoning is for matters far off the pitch.
Over the past decade he has been influential in campaigning for refugee and marginalised communities rights with the 53-year-old playing a crucial role in helping female Afghan athletes escape from their now Taliban led country.
On top of that, Foster has been working on a number of anti-racism campaigns surrounding First Nations people in Australia and volunteers at a food pantry in Sydney’s inner-west.
And can you believe it? He’s not the only Socceroos player to be nominated for an award…
Awer Mabil – Young Australian of the Year
In 2022, Socceroos winger Awer Mabil pulled off the now modern-Australian dream of making a career for yourself after coming to the country as a refugee, following his selection in the World Cup side.
Mabil was born in Kenya in the Kakuma Refugee Camp after his parents fled a civil war in Sudan and came to live in Adelaide at the age of ten.
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Now 17 years later, he is not only an Australian representative in football he is also a co-founder of a not-for-profit organisation called Barefoot to Boots which aims to better the lives for refugees in areas such as health, education and equality.
However, Mabil wants to be known for what he does rather than his past and adding a Young Australian of the Year award to his name would be an incredible accomplishment.
Nagmeldin (Peter) Bol – Young Australian of the Year
Nagmeldin, more recognised by the name Peter, Bol is Western Australia’s nominee for Young Australian of the Year for his ridiculous athletic ability and keynote speaking.
Bol became a two-time Olympian back in 2021 competing in the 800-metre track events and in the same year was the first Australian runner in over 50 years to make an Olympic 800-metre final.
Unfortunately for Bol, his name has been plastered across most media outlets in the country following him allegedly returning a positive out-of-competition drug test which he continues to deny is accurate.
Early Wednesday morning he decided that he wouldn’t attend the Australian of the Year awards in Canberra in order to remain away from the public eye whilst the investigation continues.
Meriem Daoui – Young Australian of the Year
Although she might not be a professional athlete, Meriem Daoui is using marathon running to raise awareness and funds for childhood cancer research.
The Tasmanian candidate for Young Australian of the Year is not only a marathon runner but a registered nurse who has turned her struggles with racism and anxiety into inspiration to give support to people dealing with similar issues in her community.
Her most recent accomplishment was conquering the ‘Everest challenge’ which involved running Tasmania’s point to pinnacle course every day for a week.
Not only is it known as the world’s hardest half-marathon, Daoui was able to raise over $12,000.
