Layne Beachley: World champion northern beaches’ surfer named ‘Legend’ of her sport’
As well as being a multiple world champion and an inspiration to girls and young women, a northern beaches’ surfer has been officially named a ‘legend’ of her sport.
Manly
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One of the northern beaches’ most popular and outspoken athletes has received a double honour on her way to be becoming an official “legend” of her chosen sport.
Manly-born Layne Beachley — a seven-time female world champion surfer — has been elevated to legend status by the Sports Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF).
And Beachley, who is now committed to getting more woman and girls into surfing, will be named as a Legend of NSW Sport at a NSW Champions of Sport Ceremony next month.
Two other northern beaches-based sports people, former international Australian cricketer Brett Lee and world champion and Olympic sailor John Forbes, will also be given NSW Sport Legend status.
In Sydney on Monday, Beachley was named one of three new Sport Australia Hall of Fame Legends alongside Australian rugby union great Mark Ella and triple-Brownlow Medal winning Australian rules footballer Bob Skilton.
SAHOF chair John Bertrand said the contribution of Beachley, both as an athlete and inspiration during and after her career, to Australian sport was meritorious.
“The Sport Australia Hall of Fame is delighted to honour Layne and Mark as Legends of their nation given their contribution to their chosen sports during and after their careers,” he said.
Sport Australia Hall of Fame selection committee chair, Bruce McAvaney said to be elevated from a Hall of Fame member to “legend status” was arguably the highest honour in Australian sport.
“Layne Beachley is a pioneer whose domination set the standard for all those to follow and has played a significant role in the promotion and popularity of the sport,” he said.
Beachley, who has become an environmental activist and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2011 is said to have inspired a new generation of surfers.
Beachley said being elevated to sit among the Legends of Australian sport was an honour she would treasure.
“My first response was just absolute gratitude and disbelief,” she said. “I never thought I’d be accepting that kind of accolade and recognition.”
She recalled her proudest moment being in 2018 when the World Surf League made the decision to award male and female surf champions equal prize money.
Organisers of the Legend of NSW Sport award said Beachley was the first surfer, and the 10th woman, to be elevated to legend status.
As well as been inducted into the US and Australian Surfing Halls of Fame and the Sport Australia Hall of Fame she was five times Australian Surfing Life Magazine’s Surfer of the Year, three times NSW Sportsperson of the Year and won the coveted ESPN Surfer of the Year in 2001. She was 2003 Australian Female Athlete of the Year.
She is also chair of Surfing Australia, spent 15 years on the Association of Surfing Professionals Board and funded more than 500 girls and women to achieve their potential through her Aim for the Stars Foundation.
Sailor John Forbes, who grew up at Mona Vale and Collaroy Plateau, became the first Tornado catamaran sailor ever to win three World Championships. He then went on grab seven catamaran World Championship wins.
Four-time Australian Sailor of the Year, and a veteran of three Olympic Games, Forbes won a bronze at the 1992 Barcelona Olympic Games with Mitch Booth. In 2000, they won silver at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games.
Fast bowler Brett Lee, who grew up at Shellharbour and now lives at Clontarf, played 76 Tests capturing 310 wickets; claimed 380 wickets One Day Internationals and 28 wickets T20 internationals.
Lee is the founder of his own Foundation, ‘Mewsic’ which provides music therapy to children suffering from cancer.
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