Driver Piastri wins Australia’s most prestigious sporting award

Driver Oscar Piastri, who won nine races in the Formula One World Championship, won the “Dawn” Award, Australia’s highest sporting honour, describing it as a “huge privilege”.
The 24-year-old has entered the elite club this season, aiming to become the third Australian to win the world championship title after Jack Brabham and Allen Jones.
Piastri faces fierce competition, as he lost the lead in the Mexico Grand Prix last month, and is now 24 points behind his McLaren teammate, Briton Lando Norris, with three races remaining.
Piastri was honored on Thursday evening in his hometown of Melbourne during the Australian Sports Hall of Fame Awards, which honors the athlete or team that has most inspired the nation over the past 12 months.
The Don Award is named after Australian cricket legend Donald Bradman.
“Winning an award named after Sir Donald Bradman is a huge privilege,” Piastri said.
He added, “Everyone in Australia knows exactly what Bradman represented and the legacy he left in Australian sport, so I never lose sight of how important this award is.”
He continued: “It is always wonderful to represent our country on the global stage and achieve good results for ourselves.”
Previous winners of the award include: Ian Thorpe, Cathy Freeman, Adam Scott, Ashleigh Barty and the Australian women’s football team.
The other Dawn Award, named after legendary swimmer Dawn Fraser and honoring individuals, teams or organizations that have changed the sport for the better, was won by seven-time world surfing champion Layne Beachley.
Beachley won her first world title at the age of 26, before dominating the sport between 1998 and 2003, claiming six consecutive titles, an unprecedented achievement in surfing.
“When I joined the professional tour in 1990, I was shocked by the state of women’s surfing and decided to change course,” Beachley said.
“Through compromises, sacrifices and fights, we achieved equal pay in 2018. Now women can truly aspire to be seen and respected in an environment that was once the preserve of men,” she added.