Nothing to separate WA champions as pole vaulter Nina Kennedy and Liam Hendriks share Herb Elliott Medal

Baseballer Liam Hendriks and pole vaulter Nina Kennedy have tied for this year’s Herb Elliott Medal, awarded for the most inspirational sporting performance by a West Australian in the past year. The pair accepted the prestigious award at Monday night’s WA Hall of Champions induction at Crown Casino and follows a tie in last year’s award when Sam Kerr and West Coast Fever shared the honour. The West Coast Eagles 1992 premiership team was inducted into the Hall of Champions. Kennedy, 26, tied for the world championship title in August with American Katie Moon with a vault of 4.90m in Budapest. She backed it up a week later with another personal best vault of 4.91 at an indoor event in Zurich which set an Oceanic and meet record and is one of the favourites heading into next year’s Paris Olympics. Relief pitcher Hendriks, 34, won Major League Baseball’s comeback player of the year award with Chicago White Sox after overcoming stage four non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. He returned to action briefly in 2023, playing in five games and recording two wins and a save across five innings before an elbow injury ended his season. He is now a free agent and recovering from major surgery. “When I was diagnosed, the lymphoma, baseball and Australian community rallied behind us in ways I couldn’t image,” Hendricks said via a video link from the US. “Their support, coupled with the dedication of my care team and the love of my wife (Kristi), family and friends, carried me through life’s most difficult hurdle. “Even now as I face another hurdle with my recent injury, I know the community I have built around me will help drive me to the next chapter. “In this life and in this sport, nothing is certain, but if you can build a community of people that you trust, I am certain that you can do anything.” Hendriks has a career earned run average of 3.82, 727 strikeouts and 116 saves. He made his MLB debut for Minnesota twins in 2011 and has also played with Kansas City Royals, Toronto Blue Jays, Oakland As and the White Sox. He has been an All-Star three times (2019, 2021 and 2022) and was the American League’s Reliever of the Year in 2020 and 2021. Kennedy’s tie with two-time world champion Moon drew criticism from some quarters who argued they should have continued vaulting til a gold medallist was determined. Kennedy has since said she would be unlikely to repeat that call in Paris if she was again tied. The world title win in Budapest was the first of Kennedy’s career and came after mental health battles and a spate of injuries, including stress fractures of the back. Hendriks, who had major elbow surgery in early August, has a mutual option on his contract for next season, and is hoping to be picked up by the White Sox. Previous winners of the Herb Elliott Medal are Kerr, West Coast Fever, Minjee Lee, Nat Fyfe, Curtis Luck, Perth Wildcats, Daniel Ricciardo, Hannah Green, the West Coast Eagles, Peter Bol and Kiara Bowers. It was a big night for baseball with former Australia and Perth Heat batter Tony Adamson inducted into the Hall of Champions, along with retired Kookaburras goalkeeper Damon Diletti, tennis great Liz Smylie and the Eagles. Paralympian Priya Cooper, who was inducted into the Hall of Champions in 2006, was elevated to Legend status.