"An absolute honor to be awarded Young Australian of the Year!" - Emma McKeon shares special evening with family and inspirational people
Emma McKeon recently stated that she was honored and humbled to receive the 2024 Young Australian of the Year award.
The title, presented by the National Australia Day Council, recognizes exceptional Australian youth between 16 and 30 years of age.
McKeon shared her appreciation for the honour on Instagram, stating that it was a special evening in Canberra.
"What a whirlwind the last few days have been. It is an absolute honour to be awarded Young Australian of the Year! It was a truly special evening in Canberra, sharing it with my family, and being in a room full of so many inspirational people," she wrote.
Presenting the prestigious award to McKeon on January 25 in Canberra was National Australia Day Council chair John Foreman, who applauded the swimmer as a true inspiration to Australians of all ages.
"Emma shows us, with grace and humility, how commitment, hard work and passion can lead to greatness. She is a true role model for all Australians, young and old, on how to pursue your dreams," he said.
During her speech, the eight-time world record holder shared that she was inspired by many great athletes before her.
"I grew up being inspired by incredible athletes, which put a fire in my belly to go after my dreams and do something great with the power of determination and hard work," she said.
The 29-year-old also advised young athletes to set aspirational goals.
"Don't be afraid to go after hard things and set aspirational goals that at times may be scary. This is how we push ourselves to achieve our dreams," she added.
Emma McKeon suffered torn muscle in December, advised not to rush back into competition
With the 2024 Paris Olympics just months away, McKeon faced a slight injury setback with a torn muscle under her armpit. Her coach Michael Bohl said the swimmer withdrew from the 100m freestyle heats at the Queensland swimming championships in December 2023 as a precaution.
He confirmed, as per The Leader, that Australia's most decorated swimmer was nursing an injury.
"Bohl said McKeon had been managing "a minor tear under her armpit for some weeks" and that the medical advice was not to rush back into competition," the report read.
In an earlier interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, the 29-year-old had said that the motivation was still there for her to buckle in and give it everything over the next 12 months before the Paris Olympics began.
"At different times I've asked, 'why is what I've done not enough?' I'm starting to realize it is enough but I still have the hunger to see what I'm capable of," she had said.