The 2022 edition of the AIS Accelerate program has welcomed 22 women with the goal of developing women athletes to further progress their career prospects in sport.

The program, which is delivered by the AIS and Sport Australia as part of the Women Leaders in Sport program, is supported by $3.4 million in funding over four years from the Office for women and aims to increase the number and visibility of women in sport leadership positions.

The 2022 AIS Accelerate program will feature 13 Olympians, two Paralympians, eight Commonwealth Games athletes and multiple world champions, among them are Olympic champions Anna Meares and Danielle Woodhouse, along with Dani Stevens, Rachel Sporn, Eliza Stankovic-Mowle, Alice Ingley, Amanda Ross, Becchara Palmer, Bernadette Wallace, Bronwen Knox, Brooke Wilkins-Penfold, Caitlin Bassett, Ciona Wilson, Gracie Elvin, Jennifer Tait, Jessica Moore, Kaarle McCulloch, Larissa Pasternatsky, Lucy Kennedy, Lyndsay Troode, Maxine Seear, and Renae Domaschenz.

Australian Minister for Sport, Richard Colbeck, said the Australian Government is committed to supporting women athletes beyond their competition through the program.

“The AIS Accelerate program and others being delivered by this funding is about giving women the tools to reach their leadership potential,” Colbeck said.

“We need more gender diversity in the leadership ranks of Australian sport and the AIS Accelerate program is a tangible way to bring about real change.

“The AIS Accelerate program is an investment in our women athletes to help them reach their leadership potential, and in the process, they will inspire women and girls across the country,” he said.

Australian Sports Commission chair, Josephine Sukkar, said: “Retaining the experience and skills of women athletes after they retire is crucial to the continued success of Australian sport.”

“This is an extraordinary group of women.

“They have a combined experience of 31 Olympic and Paralympic Games appearances, ranging from Atlanta in 1996 through to Tokyo in 2021, as well at multiple Commonwealth Games and World Championships.

“The experience formed from representing your country at this level is invaluable and it is important that we make sure this experience is utilised to help guide and shape Australian sport into the future,” Sukkar said.

Participant in the program, Anna Meares, said: “I’ve had the immense privilege to represent my country on the biggest sporting stage, now I’d love to be one of those behind the scenes to bring about further growth, opportunity and experience for women in the space I love, ‘Sport’.”

“Being a part of the AIS Accelerate program is where I’m starting to make that happen,” she said.