Australia at the Olympics

Australia has sent athletes to all editions of the modern Olympic Games. Australia has competed in every Summer Olympic Games, as well as every Winter Olympics except 192432 and 1948. In 1908 and 1912 Australia competed with New Zealand under the name Australasia.

Australia at the
Olympics
IOC codeAUS
NOCAustralian Olympic Committee
Websitewww.olympics.com.au
Medals
Ranked 14th
Gold
152
Silver
168
Bronze
192
Total
512
Summer appearances
Winter appearances
Other related appearances
1906 Intercalated Games
 Australasia (1908–1912)
Australian Olympic Team Uniforms unveiled for Rio 2016
Australian Olympic athletes in 1932 wearing the traditional uniform of a dark green blazer trimmed with yellow, still in use at the London 2012 opening ceremony.[1]

The Australian Olympic Committee was founded and recognised in 1895. Edwin Flack was the first athlete to represent Australia at the Olympics. He won gold in both the 800 metres and the 1500 metres, competed in the marathon and won a bronze medal in tennis doubles at the 1896 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. Australia's kit is green and gold.[2][3][4]

Australia has hosted the Summer Olympic games twice: in 1956 in Melbourne and in 2000 in Sydney. Australia finished 3rd and 4th in the respective medal counts. In the Summer Olympics since 2000, Australia has placed 4th, 4th, 6th, 8th* and 10th respectively. (*Australia initially finished in 10th position in 2012, but 8th position after the redistributed gold medal to Jared Tallent). Given Australia has a population of only around 23 million people (ranked 53rd in the world[5]), this fact is frequently cited as noteworthy, and is ostensibly due to a strong sporting culture.[6] Other observers have suggested this may also be a result of the generous funding the Australian Government has invested into elite sports development with the specific intention of improving performance at the Olympic games.[7][8] Prior to Montreal, there was no government funding, however.

Many of Australia's gold medals have come in swimming, a sport which is popular in Australia, with swimmers from Dawn Fraser to Ian Thorpe ranking among the sport's all-time greats. Other sports where Australia has historically been strong include:

  • field hockey, with the women's team winning three gold medals between 1988 and 2000 and the men's team winning in 2004;
  • cycling, particularly track cycling;
  • rowing;
  • equestrian events and specifically the three-day teams eventing;
  • and sailing.

Australia takes international sporting competition, particularly the Olympics, very seriously, and provides much government funding and coaching support to elite athletes, partly through the Australian Institute of Sport. Australia has been more modestly successful in the track events at the games, particularly in modern times. Historically, Betty Cuthbert is Australia's most successful track athlete with four gold medals (three in 1956 and one in 1964).

Australia did not win a medal at the Winter Olympics until 1994, but has moved higher on the medal tallies since then (ranking 13th at Vancouver 2010). This is a reflection on increased funding of Australia's Olympic Winter Games team .

Hosted Games

Australia have hosted the Games on two events:

GamesHost cityDatesNationsParticipantsEvents
1956 Summer OlympicsMelbourne, Victoria22 November–8 December723,314151
2000 Summer OlympicsSydney, New South Wales15 September–1 October19910,651300

Unsuccessful bids

Australia has unsuccessfully bid for the Games on three other occasions:

GamesProposed host cityAwarded to
1988 Summer OlympicsMelbourne, VictoriaSeoul, South Korea
1992 Summer OlympicsBrisbane, QueenslandBarcelona, Spain
1996 Summer OlympicsMelbourne, VictoriaAtlanta, United States

Medal tables

*Red border colour indicates tournament was held on home soil.

These totals do not include 15 medals recognised by the Australian Olympic Committee: 10 medals (3 gold, 4 silver and 3 bronze) won by Australians competing for the combined Australasia team in 1908 and 1912 (8 by individuals, 1 by an exclusively Australian team, and 1 by a combined team); 1 bronze medal won in tennis by Edwin Flack in 1896; and 4 medals (3 silver and 1 bronze) won in swimming by Francis Gailey, an Australian immigrant to America, in 1904. The AOC therefore recognises Australia as having won 512 medals at the Summer Olympics (150 gold, 170 silver and 192 bronze).[9]

Most successful Olympians

NameSportGoldSilverBronzeTotal
1.Ian ThorpeSwimming5319
2.Dawn FraserSwimming4408
3.Libby TrickettSwimming4127
4.Murray RoseSwimming4116
5.Betty CuthbertAthletics4004
6.Leisel JonesSwimming3519
7.Petria ThomasSwimming3418
8.Grant HackettSwimming3317
9.Shirley StricklandAthletics3137
10.Shane GouldSwimming3115
11.Drew GinnRowing3104
11.Andrew HoyEquestrian3104
13.James TomkinsRowing3014
14.Matthew RyanEquestrian3003
14.Rechelle HawkesField hockey3003
14.Jodie HenrySwimming3003
14.Stephanie RiceSwimming3003
18.Susie O'NeillSwimming2428
19.Michael KlimSwimming2316
20.Brittany ElmslieSwimming2305
20.Emily SeebohmSwimming2305

Summary by sport

Athletics

Australia first competed in athletics at the inaugural 1896 Games, with 1 athlete (Edwin Flack) competing in 3 events and winning two of them.

Games Athletes EventsGoldSilverBronze Total
1896 Athens13/122002
1900 Paris14/23[10]1012[11]
Total21262673[11]
EventNo. of
appearances
First
appearance
First
medal
First
gold medal
GoldSilverBronze Total Best finish
Men's 60 metres1/219001900N/A0011 (1900)
Men's 100 metres15/2819001900N/A0022 (1900, 1956)
Men's 200 metres18/2719001900N/A0112 (1968)
Men's 800 metres17/281896189618962002 (1896, 1968)
Men's 1500 metres19/281896189618962013 (1896, 1960)
Men's 5000 metres team race1/11900N/AN/A0000[12] (1900)
Men's marathon19/281896N/AN/A00005th (1984, 1988)

Tennis

Australia first competed in tennis at the inaugural 1896 Games, with one player competing in men's singles and, as part of a mixed team, in men's doubles. Edwin Flack lost in the first round of the singles, but paired with George S. Robertson to earn bronze in the doubles. The mixed team medal is not credit to Australia. The only tennis gold medal won by Australia was by the Woodies in men's doubles in 1996; the pair also won Australia's only silver medal in the sport four years later.

Games Athletes EventsGoldSilverBronze Total
1896 Athens12[13]/20000[14]
Total1135[14]
EventNo. of
appearances
First
appearance
First
medal
First
gold medal
GoldSilverBronze Total Best finish
Men's singles11/151896N/AN/A00008th (1896)
Men's doubles9/151896199619961102[14] (1996)

See also

References

  1. 2012 Australian uniform
  2. Australian National Colours: green and gold Retrieved 23 August 2012
  3. Golden Wattle Retrieved 23 August 2012
  4. Our national symbols Retrieved 23 August 2012
  5. CIA – The World Factbook
  6. O, Noel (8 August 2012). "By population, Australia is on top of the medal tally". The Roar. Retrieved 20 April 2014.
  7. Olympic Games | Crawford Report | Sports Funding | Richard Evans
  8. "www.nationalpost.com/scripts/feeds/story.html?id=2210902". Retrieved January 8, 2010.
  9. https://www.olympics.com.au/games/st-louis-1904
  10. Includes participation in a mixed team in the 1900 team race.
  11. Does not include a gold medal for the 5000 metres team race, in which an Australian runner competed with runners from Great Britain.
  12. Does not include gold medal won as part of a mixed team.
  13. Includes participation as part of a mixed doubles team.
  14. Does not include a bronze medal won in 1896 by a mixed team with an Australian player.
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