The rising stars and established champions of Australian track and field were celebrated in style at the 2025 Australian Athletics Awards. The night belonged to high jump world number one Nicola Olyslagers, but the spotlight also shone brightly on sprint sensation Gout Gout and Western Australian-trained pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall, who all claimed major honours.
Gout Gout's Meteoric Rise Recognised
Burgeoning sprint superstar Gout Gout added the Male Junior Athlete of the Year award to his growing list of accolades, capping off a phenomenal 2025 season. The 17-year-old's year was defined by breathtaking performances, particularly at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth.
There, he twice shattered the coveted 10-second barrier in the under-20 100m final, though both times were assisted by an illegal tailwind. Undeterred, Gout then blazed to the open 200m crown in a sensational 19.84 seconds, a time again wind-aided beyond the legal limit.
His most significant legal performance came later in the season in Ostrava, Czechia, where he lowered his own open-age Australian 200m record to 20.02 seconds. Gout's coach, Diane Sheppard, was also honoured, taking home the Coach of the Year award.
Marschall's World Stage Success
Adopted West Australian Kurtis Marschall was named the John Landy Male Able Bodied Athlete of the Year following a stellar season on the global circuit. Marschall's pinnacle achievement was a bronze medal in the men's pole vault final at the World Championships in Tokyo.
During that high-pressure final, he equalled his personal best clearance of 5.95 metres. The award caps a significant year for Marschall, who also won four Diamond League medals and recently bid farewell to his renowned coach, Paul Burgess.
Olyslagers' Dominant Season
The evening's top honours went to high jump queen Nicola Olyslagers, who was crowned the Marjorie Jackson Female Athlete of the Year. Olyslagers cemented her world number one status by winning gold at both the outdoor World Championships in Tokyo and the indoor World Championships in Poland.
She also received the Bruce McAvaney Award for Performance of the Year for her Australian record clearance of 2.04 metres to win the Diamond League high jump final in Zurich. This double recognition underscores her complete dominance in the event throughout 2025.
The 2025 Australian Athletics Awards highlighted a period of immense strength and depth in the nation's track and field stocks, with a blend of youthful exuberance and experienced excellence pointing towards a bright future for the sport.
