Please select your home edition
Edition
Noble Marine 2022 YY - LEADERBOARD

Fitzgibbon & Tesch crowned NSW Sports Team of the Year with a Disability

by Cora Zillich, Australian Sailing 20 Feb 2016 17:50 GMT 18 February 2016
Daniel Fitzgibbon & Liesl Tesch crowned NSW Sports Team of the Year with a Disability © Matthias Engesser / www.narrativepost.com.au

Paralympic and World Champions Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch were crowned the NSW Sports Team of the Year with Disability Award at Thursday night's NSW Sports Awards Night. Fitzgibbon and Tesch took home the Award amongst a variety of categories honoured at the NSW Sports Awards dinner at Curzon Hall, Marsfield. Nacra 17 crew of Lisa Darmanin and Jas Waterhouse were finalists for the Team of the Year Award, which went to the NSW Rugby 7's Team.

The NSW Sports Awards is an all-embracing event that acknowledges the variety of sporting activity and achievement across the state every year. A total of 15 awards were presented recognising coaches, administrators, volunteers, masters and young athletes and athletes and teams with a disability.

Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch were recognised for their unbeaten run since the 2012 London Paralympic Games, which continued over 2015. Since winning Gold at the London 2012 Paralympic games the pair has been on top of the podium at every regatta they have competed at. They produced a dominating performance at the end of 2014 to win the Sailing World Cup in Melbourne, followed by another win at the World Cup in Miami in 2015. Daniel and Liesl won Gold at the Delta Lloyd regatta held in the Netherlands and they both received Sailor of the Year with a Disability at the Yachting Australia Awards in November 2015.

Most recently the pair defended their World Champion title at the 2015 Para World Sailing Championships and wrapped up the year with Sailing World Cup Gold in Melbourne in December.

"The great thing about sport is the way people with disabilities can get involved, in sport and in life. The Minister was earlier speaking about integration and sport can provide that. We're out having a go, on the water we're just sailors, that's why sport is great", Daniel Fitzgibbon said on receiving the award.

Australia already qualified all three Paralympic boat classes at last year's Para World Sailing World Championships with the sailors yet to be selected. Daniel Fitzgibbon and Liesl Tesch have their eyes firmly set on defending their 2012 Paralympic Gold medal at the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

After winning the World Championships as well as the World Cup in December the pair successfully finished another training camp in Rio on the Paralympic waters of Guanabara Bay in January. They will compete next at the EUROSAF regatta in Garda, Italy followed by the 2016 Para World Sailing Championships in Medemblik, The Netherlands in May.

See a full list of award winners on Sport NSW here.

Related Articles

Matt Wearn assured of Tokyo 2020 Laser Gold
Continuing Australia's legacy of success in the class Matt Wearn has continued Australia's legacy of success in the Laser class at the Olympic Games, with the Western Australian assuring Australia's third straight gold medal in the class. Posted on 30 Jul 2021
Australian Sailing Team at Coffs Harbour (video)
Joining the whales at Coffs Harbour recently has been the Australian Sailing Team. Joining the whales at Coffs Harbour recently has been the Australian Sailing Team. We went there when the Men's Laser, 470 and Finn squads were training vigorously, and applying that strong work ethic they are so well known for. Posted on 9 Jul 2020
For when might is right
470 Dynamic Duo, Mat Belcher and Will Ryan, have been treated to some spectacular times... At an Australian Sailing Team camp currently being conducted off Australia's East coast at Coffs Harbour, 470 Dynamic Duo, Mat Belcher and Will Ryan have been treated to some spectacular times. Posted on 30 Jun 2020
AOC plans for postponed Olympic Games
Believing athletes now need to prioritise their own health The AOC says Australian athletes should prepare for a Tokyo Olympic Games in the northern summer of 2021, following the IOC's announcement of a potential postponement of this year's Games and changes in public health landscape across the globe. Posted on 23 Mar 2020
Lilley joins Sailing Section
Of the 2016 Australian Olympic Team Finn sailor Jake Lilley will make his Olympic debut in Rio, after being named in the 2016 Australian Olympic Team, joining 10 sailors already selected. Posted on 17 May 2016
Ashley Stoddart turns to Hyères
To win over Olympic selectors A couple of days to refresh the mind and body after a huge week at the Radial Worlds in Mexico is just what Australian Olympic hopeful Ashley Stoddart needs prior to her last chance to convince selectors she is worthy of the country spot she created. Posted on 22 Apr 2016
Big week at Barcelona
For Australian skiff sailors Olympic class skiff sailors, including seven Australian pairings, will be on the grid for the 49er and 49erFX European Championships at Barcelona, Spain, April 11 -16, 2016. Posted on 11 Apr 2016
Trofeo Princesa Sofia IBEROSTAR overall
Australian Sailing Team take a Gold and a Silver Australia's finest Olympic class sailors made an impression at the Trofeo Princesa Sofia IBEROSTAR regatta in Palma, qualifying for the final medal race in six of the 10 divisions and locking up a gold and a silver medal. Posted on 4 Apr 2016
Burton gets his Olympic chance
After tough selection battle Four years ago Tom Burton was training alongside Tom Slingsby striving to secure Australia's one laser London 2012 Games spot, only to miss out as Slingsby went onto win Olympic gold. Posted on 18 Mar 2016
Belcher and Ryan aiming for record fifth title
470 World Championships starts in Buenos Aires soon Three Australian Sailing men's 470 crews will be competing in Buenos Aires with Australian Sailing Squad's Patrick and Alexander Conway (NSW) and Victorians Tom Klemens and Tim Hannah completing the Australian contingent in the 41-boat Men's 470 fleet. Posted on 18 Feb 2016