By Retta Race on SwimSwam
After earning the Young Australian of the Year nomination for her state of Queensland last November, 29-year-old Emma McKeon has now been named the overall Young Australian of the Year for the entire nation of Australia.
The award has been given by the National Australia Day Council annually since 1979 and recognizes those aged 16 to 30 who are considered to be exceptional young Australians. Olympic legend Ian Thorpe earned the award in 2000.
On her recognition, McKeon said, “I’m so honored and humbled to receive this award. It is a privilege to be alongside all of the other nominees.
“I’m a very proud Australian and honored to be recognized by my country and thankful for everyone who has supported me throughout my career.
“I’ve been swimming for as long as I can remember and I grew up being inspired by incredible athletes which put a fire in my belly to go after my dreams and do something great with the power of determination and hard work.”
As a message to young athletes, McKeon said, “Don’t be afraid to go after hard things and set aspirational goals that at times may be scary. This is how we push ourselves to achieve our dreams.”
McKeon is the most successful Australian Olympian of all time At the 2020 Olympics, McKeon became the first female swimmer and just the second woman in history to earn seven medals in a single Games.
She is also the most decorated Commonwealth Games gold medalist of all time.
SwimSwam: Olympian Emma McKeon Earns Young Australian Of The Year Award
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