Dual Olympian Nova Peris Inducted In Sport Australia Hall Of Fame
Nova Peris, a two-time Olympian, has spoken about the range of feelings she experienced after learning that she would be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
When two-time Olympian Nova Peris found out she would be the first person from the Territory to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, she was overtaken with emotion.
After being the first Indigenous Australian to win an Olympic gold medal with the Hockeyroos team in 1996, Peris has been one of the Territory's most recognizable names in the athletic world for a very long time.
She later transitioned to running, where she competed in the 200-meter and 4-by-100-meter relays at the 1998 Commonwealth Games and won two gold medals.
She was able to compete in the 400-meter dash and the 4x400-meter relay at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, fulfilling a desire she had had since she was a child. She represented her country at those events.
But now, 22 years after she retired from sport in 2001, she has been honored with the most prestigious title in Australian sport by being inducted into the Hall of Fame. This honor comes as a result of her accomplishments in the sporting world.
Due to the intensity of her feelings, she was unable to continue speaking with John Bertrand, the chairman of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame.
"I got to live out two of my dreams, one to go to the Olympics in hockey and then my childhood dream was to run at the Olympics, and I did that too," Peris said. "I got to go to the Olympics in hockey, which was one of my dreams, and then my other dream was to run at the Olympics."
"When he called me, he told me, 'on behalf of the Australian Sports Hall of Fame, we congratulate you, we overwhelmingly support your induction, and it's about your sport and your post career.'"
"It's so amazing that it made me cry, and then I said to myself, "This is a conversation that's going nowhere; I think I need to leave because I'm going to keep crying."
"It isn't until you look back on it that you can go 'oh, my god, that's a remarkable achievement.' For example, that Hockeyroos team went into the Olympics undefeated in their previous 38 games, which is fantastic."
Johnathan Peris, a former National Rugby League champion, and Peris, who was also named, were only the eighth and ninth Indigenous entrants, respectively, into the Hall of Fame.
Not only has her legacy inspired her own children, who have gone on to make names for themselves in the world of sports, but it has also motivated kids in the Territory as a whole, notably in the area of hockey.
The actual happening will take place on Monday after the voice referendum.
The fact that we come from the Territory shouldn't be a barrier, Peris added, if his sport has served as an inspiration to young people.
If Nova Peris can make it to the top, so can I. This should serve as inspiration for all Territorians.
I am very excited for the day of my induction. I know it will be wonderful because I will be surrounded by loved ones of various ages and backgrounds.
Recent events have found Peris advocating for the Yes camp in the Voice referendum, and she expressed her optimism about the outcome of the vote.
She expressed her optimism by stating, "We've got 100s of volunteers on the ground and I'm optimistic."
"I believe in the people of Australia, and you just have to look at the number of people who have given their profile, like Darcy Moore, for this referendum to see that.
"It's one of the most important things this country will ever do in terms of recognising the people of the First Nations, and I hope that when people vote, they think about the future generations of this country." "It's one of the most important things this country will ever do in terms of recognising the people of the First Nations."