Jean Mitchell Honoured with Sarah Tait Spirit Award as Rowsellas shine at VIS and SASI Awards

Inspirational Rowsella Jean Mitchell has taken home one of the most meaningful awards of her young career after being named the winner of the Sarah Tait Spirit Award at the 2024 Victorian Institute of Sport (VIS) Awards.

Mitchell, now 24, made her Olympic debut in Paris after being diagnosed with medulloblastoma brain cancer at just 16, presenting her with an incredible challenge in sport and life. 

This special award is named in honour of Sarah Tait, the late three-time Olympian and Silver Medal winner (Women's Pair) from London 2012, who passed away in 2016 after a battle with cervical cancer. She was 33.

The award recognises the athlete who most encompasses the spirit of the VIS. Mitchell has demonstrated courage, commitment and persistence to achieve their sporting goals, while showing the ability to inspire and bring out the best in others and bring pride to their community. 

Mitchell has maintained an inspiring positivity and now serves as an ambassador for Connor’s Run and Connor’s Erg, raising funds and awareness for the Robert Connor Dawes Foundation, which is dedicated to funding brain cancer research and improving outcomes for patients. 

Awards have continued to flow for Paralympic champions Jed Altschwager PLY and Nikki Ayers PLY having earned the SASI Para Athlete of the Year award, while their coach Christine MacLaren claimed the SASI Coach of the Year honour. Ayers also secured the Program Athlete of the Year (Rowing) accolade.

Altschwager and Ayers made history this year as Australia’s first Paralympic gold medallists in para-rowing.

Their victory in the PR3 Mixed Double Sculls at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games capped off an undefeated two years of racing.

Their dominance included triumphs at the 2023 World Rowing Championships, 2024 World Cup III in Poznan, and the 2024 Australian Rowing Championships.

MacLaren, who guided the pair to their historic win alongside Chad King, became the first woman to coach an Australian rowing crew to Paralympic gold.