Eight local athletes benefit from VenuesWest Brand Ambassador Program

For the first time ever, eight of Western Australia’s promising high performance athletes will further their pursuit of sporting success as recipients of a 2025 - 2026 VenuesWest Brand Ambassador sponsorship.

The program, which has historically supported four athletes will, for this year only, expand to eight athletes following an unprecedented number of high quality applications. The expansion of the program has been made possible due to a highly successful year at VenuesWest.

Following a rigorous two-month selection process an initial four athletes were selected as successful ambassadors, then after reviewing the sheer quality of unsuccessful applicants an additional four athletes were select to join the program. 

The 2025-26 VenuesWest Ambassadors are; Kane Perris, Giorgia Patten, Jack Whiteside, Iona Anderson, Jackson Hamilton, Scarlet Jauncey, Isobel Dalton and Joshua Yong.

Each of these ambassadors will receive an $8,000 sponsorship to assist with training and competition expenses in the coming 18 months, including for some, preparation for the 2026 Commonwealth Games and other elite sporting competitions. 

The athletes selected are each based at a VenuesWest venue and have competed or are striving to compete at the highest levels for their sport. They each represent one of VenuesWest's 18 targeted sports.

The Brand Ambassador Program, now in its sixth year, already has a rich history of assisting WA athletes to reach some lofty goals. VenuesWest is proud of the legacy being created from the program, often identifying athletes at the early stages of their high performance journey and giving them additional assistance to further their career.

Alumni include WA legends such as Nina Kennedy, Brianna Throssel, Sarah Edmiston and Conor Leahy.

Of the 73 Western Australian athletes selected for the Australian Olympic and Paralympic team for the Paris Games, seven were former VenuesWest Brand Ambassadors, and two were current Ambassadors.

VenuesWest owns 14 of Western Australia's premier sport and entertainment venues on behalf of the State Government and directly supports WA's high performance athletes as they strive to compete on the world stage.

In 2023/24, VenuesWest delivered considerable support to 18 targeted sports through subsidising the cost of competition and training by 64%. Priority of use and investment in venue upgrades allowed for 25,230 hours of high-performance training and competition.

The 2025 – 2026 Ambassadors are:

Kane, who trains at SpeedDome and the WAIS High Performance Service Centre (WAIS), competed at the Paris Paralympic Games with his tandem partner, Luke Zaccaria, where they placed fourth in the Men’s B 1000m time trial. 

Giorgia is a two time Olympic athlete, having competed at Tokyo and Paris, where she placed fifth and fourth respectively in the Women’s Eight. Giorgia trains at Champion Lakes Regatta Centre and WAIS, and her first senior gold medal came at the World Rowing Cup III in 2022. 

Jack, who trains at WA Athletics Stadium, HBF Stadium and WAIS, is a successful young decathlete, having recently placed ninth at the U20 World Athletics Championships. He is now transitioning to the Open Category with his sights firmly set on the 2026 Commonwealth Games. 

Iona recently impressed at the Paris Games, achieving silver in the Women’s Medley Relay, bronze in the Mixed Medley Relay and placing fifth in the 100m backstroke. Training at HBF Stadium and WAIS, Iona continues to break records across national and international competitions. 

In 2024 Scarlet began her third year with the state netball team and was named captain for a second time. The key defender, who trains at Gold Netball Centre and WAIS, was previously selected in the Australian 19 and under squad and trained in the West Coast Fever Academy for two years. 

Jackson represented Australia at the 2024 Paralympics, the 2023 and 2024 World Para Athletics Championships and several national competitions. Training at WAIS, WA Athletics Stadium, HBF Stadium and Bendat Basketball Centre, he is the current open F13 Australian and Oceanic record holder. 

Isobel trains at Sam Kerr Football Centre and occasionally plays at HBF Park. Isobel is co-captain of the Perth Glory women’s team for the 2024/25 season, is an Australian U17’s alumni and has spent the last three years playing internationally.

Josh, who trains at HBF Stadium and the WAIS High Performance Service Centre, recently returned from the Paris Olympics with a bronze medal for the 4x100m mixed medley relay. At the 2023 and 2024 Australian Championships, Josh claimed two silvers and one bronze, respectively.

Comments attributed to VenuesWest CEO David Etherton. 

“VenuesWest is proud that our Brand Ambassador Program supports the aspirations of eight talented home-grown athletes across a range of sports.

It is fantastic to see such a high calibre and quantity of applicants in the program’s sixth year and the program is worthy of this once off expansion from four to eight ambassadors. 

These exceptional individuals will serve as role models for younger athletes, motivating them to stay dedicated and persevere as they chase their own dreams of competing at the highest levels.

Many of Western Australia's top athletes don't have large salaries and face considerable sacrifices to remain competitive in their fields. Financial support like this enables them to continue pursuing their passions, focusing on their performance, and striving for success."

Image left to right; VenuesWest Chair Mary Anne Stephens, Kane Perris, Jackson Hamilton, Giorgia Patten, Scarlet Jauncey, Jack Whiteside, Isobel Dalton, VenuesWest Director Strategy and Partnerships Stuart Lyon. (Absent Ambassadors; Joshua Yong and Iona Anderson).