Basketball NSW is thrilled to announce the recipients of the 2024 Commonwealth Games Athlete Grant Program, with two outstanding athletes from New South Wales receiving $1,000 each in recognition of their exceptional talent and dedication.
Jackson Gray and Kijana McCowan have been named as this year’s grant winners. Both athletes recently competed at the Under 18 & Junior Wheelchair Foot Locker National Championships held in Brisbane last month. Both athletes showcased remarkable skill and determination on the court.
Basketball NSW, High Performance General Manager, Brett Coxsedge expressed immense pride in seeing two young state team players acknowledged for their talents.
“Jackson and Kijana have demonstrated an unwavering commitment to their sport, and their dedication has truly paid off. They have shown not only skill and talent but also resilience and determination, which are essential qualities for success in any athletic endeavor,” said Coxsedge.
“We are incredibly proud of their achievements and look forward to seeing them continue to excel on their sporting journey.”
A total of close to 40 athletes from different sports from across NSW have been selected to receive the grant, reflecting the depth of talent within the state’s sporting community. These athletes have demonstrated outstanding ability in their respective sport pathways, positioning themselves as potential future representatives of Australia in the Commonwealth Games.
CGNSW, CEO, Peter Tate said “These 40 young athletes have demonstrated tremendous ability in their respective sport pathways. Like many previous award winners, I’m confident quite a few will be chosen to represent Australia in future Commonwealth Games”.
The recipients were nominated by their respective State Sporting Organisations from their talented pathway programs, ensuring that the grant recipients represent the best of NSW’s emerging sporting talent.
This is the 6th edition of the CGNSW Athlete Grants which commenced in 2016. There are now 169 recipients over that period. Nominating criteria requires each athlete to be a resident of NSW and under 20 years of age. A feature of this year’s group is being the younger sibling of previous grant recipients: with Kijana being the sister of 2023 winner Aleira McCowan.
Basketball NSW extends its heartfelt congratulations to Jackson and Kijana who are deserving recipients of the 2024 Commonwealth Games Athlete Grant Program, and wishes them continued success in their sporting endeavors.
