More than 200 athletes and guests were in attendance to watch Miller claim the gong when the academy held its annual presentation evening on Saturday at the Rafters Bar at CSU.

Although the 20-year-old was up against some equally worthy candidates, it was really no surprise to see her pick up such a prestigious honour given the quality of her performances in 2015.

In addition to a multitude of state and national titles, she earned herself a spot in the Australian Para-cycling team and competed at the World Cup and World Championships in Europe, easily winning in two World Cup events in the process.

She was the only competitor in her particular classification at the World Championships, but her efforts placed her at the top of the pecking order in comparison to hand-cyclists in other divisions in the time trial. 

WRAS executive officer Nancy Haslop said the award couldn’t have gone to a more deserving winner.

“Everything about Emilie makes her a good winner of this award,” Haslop said.

“Her performances are obviously one part of it, but it isn’t just that. It is her attitude to her competing and training, her dedication and basically every single aspect of her scholarship. She’s been amazing.

“In the time since she has been involved in the program she set herself a goal of reaching the international level within five years and she’s just gone ‘bang, bang, bang’ and reached that standard so quickly. 

“It owes a lot to her hard work, her application to strength and conditioning and even down to the work she’s done on the psychological aspects of her sport.”

And at only 20, things look like they can only get better for the former swimming prodigy who switched her attention to hand-cycling after an accident in 2008 left her paralysed from the waist down.

Her immediate focus is to try to make it to the Rio de Janeiro Paralympics next year.

Haslop has no doubt that Miller can do it. 

“She began training when she was 12, so she’s shown how dedicated she is, and already, since returning from Europe, I’ve seen her back in the weights room, so there is no stopping her,” she said.

Among the other major winners from Bathurst was young golfing talent Emma McCarthy, who took the honours in the academy’s golf program.

She has had a big year which included a couple of division wins at various junior tournaments as well as the academy’s tournament itself.

“Emma has improved out of sight since she began with us. She performed fantastically this year and above expectations,” Haslop said.

McCarthy, Josh Stapley, Emily Matthews and Eliza Bennett also picked up strength and conditioning awards, while Matthews has been selected to attend a parliamentary reception in Sydney later in the year.