The athletes were presented their awards, which are largely based on performances at the Summer and Winter Paralympic Games, at the Paralympics Australia Awards in Sydney. 

De Rozario won both the 2020 Female Athlete Of The Year and the overall award for her displays at the delayed Tokyo 2020, where she picked up bronze in the the T54 1500 metres and her first Paralympic golds in the T54 marathon and T53 800m.

The 28-year-old was competing at her fourth Paralympics, having first represented Australia in wheelchair racing at Beijing 2008.

"The Paralympics is the largest platform for people with disabilities and you want to do everything that you can with that platform," the six-time Paralympic medallist said.

"We prioritise the Paralympic Movement and the impact it’s had on the 20 per cent of Australians with disabilities is unreal.

"Honestly, it’s a privilege to be part of that."

Canoeist Curtis McGrath won the 2020 Male Athlete of the Year honour after successfully defending his KL2 canoe sprint title in Tokyo, as well as scooping another gold medal in the VL3 sprint.

After winning Australia's only medal at the Beijing 2022 Winter Paralympic Games earlier this year, Tudhope was awarded the Male Athlete of the Year for 2022 and also collected the overall award, which was established in 1994.

His bronze in the snowboard cross SB-LL2 was just Australia's seventh podium in the last three Winter Paralympics. 

"I’m just a guy who loves snowboarding and wants to progress my skills as a snowboarder," Tudhope said.

"To grow into someone who fell in love with the Paralympic community as well, and to put those things together into one, I really found who I am."

The 2022 Female Athlete of the Year award went to Alpine skier Melissa Perrine and Bobbi Kelly, her sighted guide. 

A Team Of The Year award for 2020 was also presented to Melissa Tapper, Qian Yang and Lina Lei, who won silver at Tokyo 2020 as the women’s table tennis team, in class 9-10.

Australia finished eighth in the medals table at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics with 21 gold, 29 silver and 30 bronze medals.