Australia’s nominees for WMA 2024 Best Athlete of the Year

Australian Masters Athletics has submitted the names of Julie Brims and John Meagher for consideration by Oceania Masters Athletics as OMA’s female and male nominees for World Masters Athletics’ 2024 Best Athlete of the Year.

Julie, from Queensland, won two outstanding gold medals in the W55 100 metres and 200 metres at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Gothenburg, Sweden in August, with age-graded performances in the high 90s. Julie completed her individual events with a silver medal in the 400 metres. John, from Victoria, won the M60 half marathon in Gothenburg, a gold medal in the 8km cross country and a silver medal in the 10km road race. John also set a 10,000 metres world record in Melbourne in July.

Congratulations to these two fine athletes who have both shone brightly on the world stage.

The AMA awards committee found the nominations not a straightforward choice and would like to recognise three other outstanding athletes: Janelle Delaney, from New South Wales for her track golds in Gothenburg in the W50 200 metres and 400 metres; Melissa Foster, from Western Australia, for her W45 long jump world record in Perth during February and Gothenburg silver medals in the long jump and triple jump; and David Chantrill from New South Wales for his Gothenburg gold medals in the M85 200 metres and 400 metres and silver in the 100 metres.

Joe Begley

Chair AMA Awards Committee