Basketball was the winner as some of the game’s greatest names were honoured on sport’s night of nights, the Sport Australia Hall of Fame gala at the MCG on Monday.
This country’s greatest ever basketballer Lauren Jackson AO OLY was bestowed one of the night’s top honours – The Dawn Award, named after legendary swimmer Dawn Fraser AC MBE, which recognises an athlete, team or organisation that has displayed courage, bravery and changed sport for the better.
At age 43 and in the second phase of an incredible career, having emerged from retirement to return to the game in 2022, Jackson reached her fifth Olympic Games in Paris this year and won a fifth Olympic medal adding to her haul of three silver (Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, Beijing 2008) and bronze (London, 2012, Paris, 2024).
“It’s incredible. Dawn is someone that I’ve looked up to for many years. She’s become a friend of mine and I’m really honoured and humbled in the same breath.” Jackson said.
“It’s really special and I’m super proud.”
Triple Paralympian Liesl Tesch AM was one of eight inductees honoured as the Class of 2024.
Tesch became an incomplete paraplegic as the result of a mountain biking accident as a teenager and after picking up a basketball inspired a generation and was a leading force in silver-medal Paralympic campaigns for Australia in Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 and bronze in Beijing, 2008.
She would go on to become a dual-sport Paralympian when she took up sailing and would compete at another two games in London, 2012, and Rio, 2016.
“This is something I would never have expected because this is a space of people who are our national heroes and role models and I don’t reflect on myself as that at all. I’m just a person going about my life the best I can,” Tesch said.
“It’s an amazing honour and something that makes me reflect on my life and my contribution, possibly with tears in my eyes, because it’s not where I see myself.
“I’m just a person having a crack at life and having a really good time along the way.”
The godmother of women’s basketball in Australia, the late Betty Watson OAM, was posthumously inducted to the Sports Australia Hall of Fame for her incredible trailblazing contribution to the sport as an administrator.
Melbourne Businessman Gerry Ryan OAM, a long-time sponsor and supporter of the Opals, and owner of WNBL club Dandenong Rangers/Southside Flyers was also inducted as a General Member for his contributions to Australian sport.
