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DYLAN ALCOTT named 2022 Australian of the Year

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An Athlete, philanthropist and television presenter leading change for people with a disability, the 2022 Australian of the Year is Dylan Alcott.

Dylan may be a sporting champion, being the only man to complete the Golden Slam in quad singles, winning the Australian Open, French Open, Wimbledon and the US Open in 2021, but local television viewers will be familiar with his work on ABC series The Set, Nine’s The AFL Footy Show, as well as his commentating work for The Australian Open.

For the first time in the Australia Day Award program’s 62 year history, a person with a physical disability has been named Australian of the Year.

Dylan Alcott’s leadership, advocacy, and commitment to developing opportunities for people with a disability is making an impact for thousands of Australians.

As a teenager, Dylan hated being in a wheelchair because he didn’t see anyone like him in mainstream media.

“I’ve been in a wheelchair my whole life and I used to absolutely hate it,”

– Dylan said to a rapt audience at the TV Week Logie Awards.

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“One of the reasons I hated it was because when I turned on the TV, I never saw anybody like me.”

In reflection of his Logies speech Dylan said:

“I got a bit emotional up there,”

“I loved the opportunity to say what I said, and that speech was shared a million times online.”

“I might have been five years old when I started watching TV, and I asked my mum, ‘Where are people like me?'”

“It became my goal to get on TV – not only because I enjoy sharing stories,” he explains, “but to really shake it up and say, ‘Look how talented, normal and funny people with a disability can be.'”

A gold medal at the Paralympic Games in wheelchair basketball preceded three more in Paralympic competition after a cross-code switch to tennis. Now, with 23 quad wheelchair Grand Slam titles and a Newcombe Medal, Dylan Alcott recently became the first male in history, in any form of tennis, to win the Golden Slam.

Amid his training and competition load as a world-class athlete, Dylan notes that his most profound impact has come from beyond the field of play. He founded the Dylan Alcott Foundation to provide scholarships and grant funding to marginalised Australians with a disability.

He also authored his best-selling autobiography, Able, and co-founded Get Skilled Access. In addition, the 31 year old’s AbilityFest is Australia’s first and only inclusive, fully accessible music festival. In realising his childhood dream, Dylan holds several high-profile media roles spanning TV, radio and podcasting.

Australian of the Year Winners

2022 Australian of the Year – Dylan Alcott OAM (VIC)
2022 Senior Australian of the Year – Valmai Dempsey (ACT)
2022 Young Australian of the Year – Dr Daniel Nour (NSW)
2022 Australia’s Local Hero – Shanna Whan (NSW)

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