Katarina Egan awarded prestigious SAHOF scholarship
Australian fencer Katarina Egan is one of six athletes around the country to have been handed an incredible scholarship through the Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) which was announced earlier today.
Egan was one of 341 applicants that applied to be part of the prestigious and industry renowned program run by SAHOF, which is backed by the Australian Sports Commission and the Australian Institute of Sport.
And from the 341 that applied, six young athletes will be guided by some of the biggest names in Australian sporting history through their Tier 1 scholarships, which include one-on-one mentoring and a $10,000 grant to assist with training and competition costs.
The mentors, from different sports than their mentees, will work individually with Tier 1 Scholarship holders, providing invaluable guidance and advice to outstanding young athletes aged 15-21 as they pursue excellence on the global stage.
Egan has been paired up with Olympic Gold Medalist Lauren Burns OAM who was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2017 as an Athlete Member for her contribution to the sport of Taekwondo. She won Australia’s first Olympic Gold medal in Taekwondo when the sport made its debut at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
Speaking about the scholarship, Egan admitted that she is looking forward to being part of the program and being mentored by Australian sporting royalty.
“Being a SAHOF Scholarship recipient is an immense honour and opportunity for me
to grow both as an athlete and as a person,” she said.
“The chance to learn from Lauren Burns, who has already achieved excellence in her field will be invaluable.
“I am extremely grateful and find it both motivating and reassuring to know I will have Lauren by my side, providing guidance, support, and perspective throughout these next few steps in my career.”
Burns has been part of the program for a number fo years, and said that she is so happy to give back and inspire the next generation of elite Australian talent.
“I’m thrilled to support athletes in their sporting journey. To have the opportunity to make a meaningful difference is a privilege,” she said.
“Sport has influenced my life in so many ways, and this is a chance to give something back by helping nurture, not just performance, with the values and resilience that underpin a fulfilling life in and beyond sport.
“I have had some incredible mentors in my own sporting journey, many of whom I remain close with today. I understand firsthand the impact a mentor can have, particularly someone outside the inner world of their sport.”
Katarina’s SAHOF biography page can be found here: https://sahof.org.au/award-winner/katrina-egan/