Fox was selected by a panel of judges to be the recipient of the 2014 Athlete of the Year award, having become the first canoe slalom athlete to have won two World Championships in different classes, in the same year.

The 20-year-old won both the C-1 and K-1 races at the 2014 International Canoe Federation (ICF) Canoe Slalom World Championships in the Deep Creek in the United States and is set to be one of Australia's Olympic gold medal hopes at Rio 2016.

"Athlete of the Year Jess Fox has brought a dynamic presence and profile to her sport," said AIS director Matt Favier.

"She created history winning dual world championships in 2014 and has emerged as a respected mentor and leader for young athletes across a range of sports."

Triple Paralympic champion Kurt Fearnley claimed the Sports Personality of the Year award, one of two awards voted for by the public, after a dominant year.

Fearnley earned his fifth New York City Marathon title, just weeks after winning in Sydney and finishing second in Chicago, while he also won silver after dropping down to 1500 metres at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.

"Kurt Fearnley is a deserving winner of the Sports Personality of the Year," Favier said.

"His strength of performance and personal character epitomises all that we respect in our sports people."


Kurt Fearnley was named AIS Sports Personality of the Year, after winning his fifth New York City Marathon title in 2014 ©Twitter





National Rugby League (NRL) team South Sydney Rabbitohs were the beneficiaries of the second public vote, which saw them pick up the Sports Performance of the Year award, having ended their 43-year drought by winning the NRL Premiership.

Among the award winners on the night were the men's Australian hockey team, who won Team of the Year, after winning the 2014 World Cup and the Para Performance of the Year award was given to the country's wheelchair rugby team for winning the World Championship title.  

Coach of the Year was awarded to the Australia Diamonds' Lisa Alexander who guided the women's hockey team to gold at the Commonwealth Games and victory at the Constellation Cup.

Amy Cure, who claimed her maiden world title in the 25 kilometres points race at the International Cycling Union (UCI) Track Cycling World Championships in Cali, was named Junior Athlete of the Year.

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