Paralympian Alcott named Australian of the Year

CANBERRA, Jan. 26 (Xinhua) -- Wheelchair tennis superstar and disability advocate Dylan Alcott has been named 2022 Australian of the Year.

Alcott, 31, on Tuesday night, became the first person with a disability to win Australian of the Year in the prestigious award's 62-year history.

In 2021 he made history as the first male ever to claim tennis' Golden Slam, winning the quad wheelchair singles titles at the Australian Open, the French Open, Wimbledon, the US Open as well as a gold medal at the Tokyo Paralympics.

The National Australia Day Council (NADC) recognized Alcott for both his achievements in sport and his disability advocacy work.

"Winning grand slams and gold medals isn't my purpose. It's like, the 30th priority of my life," Alcott said in his acceptance speech in Canberra.

"My purpose is changing perceptions so people like me can get out there and live the lives they deserve to live.

"I love my disability. It is the best thing that ever happened to me. It really is. And I'm so thankful for the life that I get to live."

Alcott started his professional sport career in wheelchair basketball before switching to tennis.

He has won 23 Grand Slam titles and on Tuesday qualified for the final of the Australian Open.

Alcott in 2017 founded the Dylan Alcott Foundation to provide scholarships for Australians with disabilities and launched the accessible music festival AbilityFest.

"Dylan Alcott is a champion who has risen to the top of the world rankings through sheer grit and determination. His golden slam is an incredible feat, the first for any male tennis player," NADC chair Danielle Roche said in a statement.

"Dylan is an inspirational Australian on and off the tennis court. Through the Dylan Alcott Foundation, he is giving young Australians facing disadvantage the promise of a better future."

Long-serving healthcare volunteer Valmai Dempsey, 71, was named the 2022 Senior Australian of the Year and Daniel Nour, 26, who founded a mobile medical service for the homeless won Young Australian of the Year.