Australian swimming diva Petria Thomas has pipped Olympic team-mate Ian Thorpe for NSW's top sporting accolade, claiming the state's Sports Federation's athlete of 2004 award.

The award follows a great year in the pool for Thomas, who won three gold medals in the 100m butterfly, the 4x100 freestyle relay and 4x100m medley and one silver in the 200m butterfly.

Both her gold medal relay results created new Olympic records.

The 29-year-old swimmer announced her retirement after the Athens games last year having collected a total of eight Olympic medals throughout her career.

She also beat other high-profile athletes including basketballer Lauren Jackson, golfer Peter Lonard, Paralympian Amy Winters, lawn bowler Steve Glasson and cyclist Bradley McGee for the honour at the NSW Sports Federation awards on Tuesday night.

Thorpe - who won the award in 1998, 1999 and 2001 - also blitzed the pool in Athens with two golds in the 400m and 200m freestyles, one silver in the 4x200m freestyle relay and a bronze in the 100m freestyle.

His 200m freestyle effort also created a new Olympic record.

Thorpe has, however, missed taking the gong for the second year in a row.

Surfing champion Layne Beachley took that honour from him last year, when she claimed her third award having won it in 2000 and 2001.

In other categories, a special recognition award was presented posthumously to soccer legend Johnny Warren while Soccer NSW was announced organisation of the year.

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