Former awardee Emma McKeon makes feelings known on attending 65th edition of Australian of the Year Awards

Australian swimmer Emma McKeon recently made her feelings known after attending the 65th Australian of the Year awards. McKeon herself won the Young Australian of the Year award last year.

The 2025 edition of the awards saw former Australian rules football player Neale Daniher win the Australian of the Year award for his notable contributions to the diagnosis of motor neurone disease.

After attending the ceremony, McKeon took to her Instagram to share a photo of all the awardees from this prestigious award ceremony. She expressed her previlege of attending this event and also listening to the winners of the event. McKeon wrote:

"Another incredibly inspiring night. I felt so previleged to be in the room again tonight at the @australianoftheyear awards, listening to the stories of these amazing Australians."

She added further:

"Congratulations to the 2025 Australians of the Year."

Screenhot of Emma McKeon's Instagram story feat the 2025 Australian of the Year awardees (Image via: McKeon's Instagram)

Notably, McKeon's 2020 and 2024 Olympics teammate, Ariarne Titmus was one of the nominees for the Young Australian of the Year award. Titmus competed for the Australian national team at the quadrennial games last year and won a couple of gold medals. However, Dr Katrina Wruck bagged this prestigous award in turn.

McKeon herself had an impressive last year where she bagged a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle event. Additionally, she also won gold in the 100m butterfly at the Australia Olympic trials, Australian Championships, and NSW Championships.

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Australian swimming team coach opens up about Emma McKeon's retirement from swimming

Emma McKeon after winning the bronze medal in the Women's 200m freestyle finals during the 2016 Rio Olympics (Image via: Getty Images)

Rohan Taylor, Australian swimming team head coach shared his thoughts about Emma McKeon's retirement after the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Taylor shared that McKeon will be an inspiration for the aspiring athletes in the future. Additionally, he also heaped praise on the style and charm the Wollongong native has carried herself with througout her swimming career. He said (via Sportstar):

"She was and will continue to be a great role model for younger athletes. She always carried herself with dignity and while we all saw her grace the public can not truly appreciate how tough she is."

Rohan Taylor has been the Australian swimming team head coach since 2020 and has coached the side in two quadrennial games. Notably, he has also coached swimmers like Leisel Jones and Belinda Hocking.