A SHORTLIST of 10 athletes across eight sports have earned nomination for the 2017 WAIS Athlete of the Year award following elite performances at benchmark competition over the past 12 months.

Two former winners return to the shortlist in 2017, including reigning WAIS Athlete of the Year Sam Welsford, with the prize set to be presented at next month’s WAIS Annual Awards at the Pan Pacific Perth.

2017 has seen WA talent excel in World Championship competition, with this year’s shortlist including four athletes who earn nomination for the Institute’s top athlete prize for the first time.

Six women and four men make up the top 10, whilst Welsford at 21 years of age, is the youngest star on the list.

The nominees for the 2017 WAIS Athlete of the Year are:
Sarah Edmiston (ATHLETICS)
Jaime Roberts (CANOE)
Cameron Meyer (CYCLING)
Sam Welsford (CYCLING)
Emily Little (GYMNASTICS)
Matt Wearn (SAILING)
Holly Barratt (SWIMMING)
Brianna Throssell (SWIMMING)
Sally Pilbeam (TRIATHLON)
Aaron Younger (WATER POLO)

Aaron Younger captained the Australian team at the 2017 FINA World Championships in Budapest and was one of six Western Australian athletes on the team.

The Australians finished seventh, matching their best performance at world level, since 2003.

In May 2017, Younger also became the first Australian water polo athlete to be part of a title-winning Champions League team, after his Hungarian side Szolnok defeated Jug Dubrovnik in the final.