Jessica Fox wins another top gong at Sport NSW awards

Champion paddler Jessica Fox has won another gong, named Sport NSW's athlete of a year for a remarkable sixth time.

A week after being jointly awarded Sport Australia's The Don award with her sister Noemie, Fox has received further acclaim in her home state.

The 30-year-old triple Olympic canoeing gold medallist collected NSW's athlete of the year award at a NSW Champions of Sport ceremony in Sydney on Monday night.

Fox previously won the award in 2013, 2017, 2018, 2021 - when shared with Cate Campbell - and in 2023.

At this year's Paris Olympics, Fox became the first canoe slalom athlete to capture gold medals in the women's K1 and C1 slalom events - she was also Australia's joint flag bearer at the opening ceremony.

During the Paris Games, Fox was elected as a member of the International Olympic Committee Athletes Commission for the next eight years.

Also Monday night, Lauren Parker claimed Sport NSW's athlete of the year with a disability.

In Paris, Parker became Australia's first dual-sport Paralympic gold medallist at the same Games in 48 years by winning the women's cycling H1-4 road race and the women's PTWC Triathlon.

The 35-year-old also won a silver medal in the women's road trial H1-3.

Parker joins wheelchair tennis great David Hall as a five-time winner of Sport NSW award.

The team of the year award was won by the A-League's treble-winners Central Coast Mariners, denying NRL champions Penrith Panthers a third consecutive title.