FSSAA Sports Personality of the Year 2009 – Firefighter Janine Culley.
FSSAA Chair, Andy Fry said: “I am delighted to have appointed Janine as the Association’s Sports Personality of the Year. She is a great example of what can be achieved by carefully balancing professional and family commitments whilst, at the same time, remaining dedicated to achieving sporting excellence. Janine’s energy and enthusiasm are infectious and I’m really looking forward to supporting her as an ambassador for sport in the fire service.”
Janine becomes only the second woman to win this prestigious award and she is also the first in the award’s history to be presented with a trophy which has been donated by The Worshipful Company of Firefighters.
The Chair of the FSSAA, Andy Fry, presented Janine with the award for her record 24 medal haul at last year’s World Firefighter Games held in Liverpool. The former swimming coach won the majority of her medals in the pool in what was a home coming performance by the Liverpudlian.
Janine joined the London Fire Brigade in 2002 and wants to be a role model for women thinking about becoming a firefighter. She said; “I am very honoured to become ‘sports personality’ and I hope that this will reinforce that being a firefighter isn’t only a job for men – women are fit enough and strong enough too.”