KYAH SIMON
Kyah made her international debut playing for the Young Matildas against Hong Kong in an Olympic qualifier in August 2007. After signing with W-League club Central Coast Mariners, Kyah capped off a marvellous debut season by being named the Female U20 Footballer of theYear at the 2008 Australian Football Awards. In 2009, Kyah toured Europe with the Young Matildas and in June 2010, she kicked the winning penalty in the final match of the AFC Women’s Asian Cup. In July 2010, Kyah became the first Indigenous Australian to score at a soccer World Cup. In 2012, Kyah joined the American WPSL Elite League, playing for the Boston Breakers. After 11 matches she was the competitions leading goal scorer on 10 goals.

ASHLEIGH BARTY
At 13 years of age, Ashleigh won two International Tennis Federation (ITF) under-18 events in Ipswich before completing an undefeated singles campaign for Australia at the ITF World Junior Tennis Competition in the Czech Republic in August 2009. Ashleigh was awarded Female Junior Athlete of the Year at the Newcombe Medal awards in December 2010, and won the 14’s and 16’s nationals and an ITF Tournaments back-to-back. In July 2011, Ashleigh became Australia’s first girls’ champion since Debbie Freeman in 1980 when she won the Wimbledon Girls Singles title, and the second Indigenous Australian to win a Wimbledon title after Evonne Goolagong-Cawley. In December 2011, she won the wildcard berth into the main draw of the 2012 Australian Open. In May 2012, Ashleigh received a wildcard into the main draw at the French Open and then went on to win the biggest title of her career at the ITF event at Nottingham, winning both the singles and doubles final, earning herself a main draw wildcard at Wimbledon.

MEGHAN RUTLEDGE
Meghan began racing in the sport of motocross at the age of seven, quickly winning several titles. In 2004, she became the first female to win a NSW State Title competing against boys. She is also the first female to win the Oakdale Motorcycle Club junior club championship – her home club where she got her start in racing. To date, Meghan has won Australasian, Australian and state titles. In August 2010, Meghan won the NSW 12 to under-16 years 85cc all female championship and the 13 to under-16 250cc all female, little class. She was also the runner up in the boys 13 to under-15 year lites class. At the Queensland titles in March 2011, Meghan won the junior lites four and two stroke classes, also finishing runner up against the boys in the support class. In May 2012, Meghan made a spectacular debut at the USA Nationals, winning the second Women’s Motocross moto at the first round of the AMA series. She is also the current Australian Women’s MX champion.

STACEY PORTER
Stacey is the first Indigenous Australian to represent her country in softball at the Olympic Games. In 1999 she represented Australia as a member of the U19 team at the Junior World Championships in Taipei. Between 2001to 2003 she played for the University of Hawaii, setting several records and was named in the All-American team. She competed at the 2004 Olympics, where she won a silver medal, and the 2008 Olympics where she won a bronze medal. At the 2010 World Championships in Venezuela, Stacey captained the Australian side and in 2011 was a member of the Australian team that competed at the World Cup of Softball.

BO DE LA CRUZ
In 1998, Bo was selected in Australia’s U18 womens touch football side and in 2000, won the Most Valuable Player award at the national titles. Once selected in the open Australian team in 2001, Bo secured herself a position within the senior Australia women’s touch football team. That year, she won the NAIDOC Sportsperson of the Year award and the Deadly Award for Female Sportsperson of the Year. At the Touch Football World Cup, held in Japan in 2003, Bo was named Overall Female Player of the Series. In 2007, Bo competed at her second touch football World Cup, this time held in South Africa, where the Australian team successfully defended their crown. A year later, she made a code switch from touch football to seven a side rugby union and in March of 2009, was a member of the World Cup winning Australian Women’s Rugby Sevens team in Dubai, setting up the winning try in the final match against New Zealand. In 2011, Bo was a member of the triumphant Australian Women’s Rugby 7’s team that competed at the IRB Challenge Cup in Dubai, and in March 2012, again played for the winning Australian side at the same tournament – this time held in Hong Kong.

Tags: 2012 Deadlys® Nominees, August 2012 No. 186, Deadly Vibe Magazine, Deadlys