“I’m really honoured to have received this award, especially since it was a community driven one, and once again unexpected,” Rousseau said in a statement. 

“I want to say thank you to everyone that is supporting me, and I definitely could not have achieved what I have done alone.”

Diving Australia chief executive Alex Newton said the award was richly deserved.

“The fact that this award has been voted for by the diving community, including fans, shows what an impact 'Cass' has had," Newton said.

“His achievements over the last year have been super impressive, not least winning the World Aquatics Championships men’s 10m platform in Fukuoka, and this is perfect recognition of that."

Rousseau will now return home to Australia following his 2024 World Aquatics Championships campaign, in which he secured an Olympics quota spot in the men’s 10m platform synchronised event with partner Domonic Bedggood.

Australia's open-water swimming team won a gold medal at the world championships in Doha on Thursday with a dramatic fingertips victory in the mixed 4x1500m relay.

Anchor Kyle Lee helped Australia secure victory over Italy by two-tenths of a second, with teammates Moesha Johnson, Chelsea Gubecka and Nick Sloman forced to wait nervously on the pontoon while the result was confirmed.

The mixed relay success was the Dolphins' second gold of the meet after 22-year-old Alysha Koloi took out the women's 1m springboard event.

As well as her gold in the mixed relay, Gubecka also picked up silver in the 5km open-water race, narrowly beaten after a thrilling duel with Dutch superstar Sharon van Rouwendaal.

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