Facts and Figures pre-Beijing
Australian Olympic Team Size - Largest
Home Games:
Sydney 2000 - 632 athletes
Away Games:
Athens 2004 – 482 athletes (third largest team at the Games behind host nation Greece and the USA)
followed by: Atlanta 1996 – 424 athletes, Barcelona 1992 – 290 athletes
Most Games - Summer
6 Olympic Games:
Colin Beashel (sailing) – 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004 (Opening Flag Bearer)
Andrew Hoy (equestrian) – 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996 (Opening Flag Bearer), 2000, 2004
5 Olympic Games:
Cris Brown (wrestling) – 1980, 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996
Simon Fairweather (archery) – 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Andrew Gaze (basketball) – 1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000
Dennis Green (canoe/kayak) – 1956, 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972
Peter Macken (mod pentathlon) 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976
Mike McKay (rowing) – 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Adrian Powell (canoe/kayak) 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976
Bill Roycroft (equestrian) – 1960, 1964, 1968, 1972, 1976
James Tomkins (rowing) - 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000, 2004
Australian Olympic Participation - 3 Games or more
Click here to see a complete list of all Australian Olympians who have competed in three or more Olympic Games
Australia’s Best Ever Medal Tally
Sydney 2000 Olympic Games:
58 Olympic medals (16 gold, 25 silver, 17 bronze)
View all of Australia's Olympic Champions here>>>
Australia's Best Ever 'Away' Games Medal Tally
Athens 2004 Olympic Games: 49 Olympic medals (17 gold, 16 silver, 16 bronze)
Australia’s Best Ever Gold Medal Tally
17 gold medals – Athens 2004
16 gold medals – Sydney 2000
13 gold medals – Melbourne 1956
Top Australian Olympic Medal Winners
Ian Thorpe (swimming) 9 medals - 5 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Dawn Fraser (swimming) 8 medals - 4 gold, 4 silver
Petria Thomas (swimming) 8 medals - 3 gold, 4 silver, 1 bronze
Susie O’Neill (swimming) 8 medals - 2 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze
Shirley Strickland (athletics) 7 medals - 3 gold, 1 silver, 3 bronze
Murray Rose (swimming) 6 medals - 4 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze
Michael Klim (swimming) 6 medals - 2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Frank Beaurepaire (swimming) 6 medals - 3 silver, 3 bronze
Grant Hackett (swimming) 5 medals - 3 gold, 2 silver
Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton (swimming) 5 medals - 1 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze
Total medals per Olympian – Summer and Winter
Click here for a complete list of Olympians who have won medals at Summer and Winter Olympic Games>>>
Most Medals (Summer)
Ian Thorpe (swimming)
9 Olympic medals: 5 gold (2000 x 3, 2004 x 2), 3 silver (2000 x 2, 2004 x 1), 1 bronze (2004 x 1)
Most Gold Medals
Ian Thorpe (swimming) - 5 gold medals:
200m, 400m Freestyle (Athens 2004)
400m, 4x100m, 4x200m Freestyle Relay (Sydney 2000)
Ian Thorpe (swimming) 5 gold
Dawn Fraser (swimming) 4 gold
Murray Rose (swimming) 4 gold
Betty Cuthbert (athletics) 4 gold
Most Medals At A Single Games
Ian Thorpe (swimming) 5 medals - 3 gold, 2 silver (Sydney 2000)
Shane Gould (swimming) 5 medals - 3 gold, 1 silver, 1 bronze (Munich 1972)Jodie Henry (swimming) 3 gold - Athens 2004
Petria Thomas (swimming) 3 gold - Athens 2004
Ian Thorpe (swimming) 3 gold - Sydney 2000
Shane Gould (swimming) 3 gold - Munich 1972
Betty Cuthbert (athletics) 3 gold - Melbourne 1956
Murray Rose (swimming) 3 gold - Melbourne 1956
Triple Gold Medals At Different Games In The Same Event
Dawn Fraser (swimming): 1956, 1960, 1964 – gold in 100m freestyle **
Andrew Hoy (equestrian): 1992, 1996, 2000 – gold in 3-day event **
Rechelle Hawkes (hockey): 1988, 1996, 2000 – gold in women’s hockey** Consecutive Olympic Games
Back-To-Back Gold Medals
Nine Australians have won individual back-to-back gold medals in the same event. A further 15 Australians have won back-to-back gold medals in team events.
For the full list of these outstanding athletes, click here>>>
Australia’s First Ever Gold Medallist
Edwin Flack (athletics) – 2 gold (800m, 1500m), Athens 1896
Australia’s First Female Gold Medallist
Sarah 'Fanny' Durack (swimming) – 1 gold
100m freestyle, Stockholm 1912
Australia's Oldest Gold Medallist
Bill Northam (yachting) – 59 years 26 days 5.5m, Tokyo 1964
Australia's Youngest Gold Medallist
Sandra Morgan (swimming) – 14 years 6 months
4x100m freestyle relay, Melbourne 1956
Australia's Youngest Olympian
Ian Johnston (cox - rowing) - 13 years 68 days
Coxed Pair, Rome 1960
Australia's Oldest Olympian
James (Bill) Roycroft (equestrian) - 61 years 122 days
Equestrian Eventing, Montreal 1976
Australia's Oldest Male Medallist
James (Bill) Roycroft (equestrian) - 61 years 122 days
Equestrian Eventing, Montreal 1976 (bronze medal)
Australia's Oldest Female Medallist
Patricia (Patty) Dench (shooting) - 52 years 142 days
Shooting, Los Angeles 1984 (bronze medal)
Other Facts
Before Beijing Australia had won 399 Summer Olympic medals - 121 gold, 126 silver, 152 bronze
Australia and Greece are the only two nations to have participated at every Olympic Games of the modern era.
Re-live in detail Australia's involvement at every previous Olympic Games here>>