Australia is a country of many varied sports due to the fabulous climates around the country. From football to cricket, field hockey to gymnastics, swimming to yatching, indoor sports to martial arts to name but a few. Almost every Australian at one time in their life has competed in a sport of one type or another.
Australian's are well known on the international circiut with mens and womens sports including field hockey, socceer, swimming and track and field events.
Australia has hosted many international sports over the years including Olympic and Commonwealth Games, World Swimming Championships, America's Cup and the Grand Prix.
Below are some highlights of Australian Sports and their acheivements.
In 1938 Sydney hosted the first Empire Games (now called Commonwealth Games)to be held in Australia. The outstanding athlete of these games was Decima Norman and Australia topped the medal count. Then in 1962 Perth held the Commonwealth Games and once again Australian's topped the medal count. The opening speech was given by the Duke of Edinburgh about the significance of links within the Commonwealth. 1982 then saw Brisbane hosting the Commonwealth Games and the highlight of these games was Robert DeCastella's win in the men's marathon by defeating Gidamis Snahanga from Tanzanian when he was well behind the leaders. Melbourne will host these games in 2002.
Olympic Games were held in Melbourne on 22nd Nov 1956 and approx. 103,000 people packed into the Melbourne Cricket Ground to watch the opening of the games for the first time in Australia. These games were a triumph for Australian sport as it was the country's greatest ever performance. The Duke of Edinburgh opened these games also and it was aided significantly by the first live to air television coverage. The equestrian events could not take place in Melbourne due to the quarantine laws of Australia and these were held in Sweden. Australia won 35 medals which included 13 gold, 8 silver and 14 bronze placing them 3rd overall. Sydney wil be hosting these games in 2000.
On Wednesday 28th September 1983 "Australia II" winning the coverted America's Cup in 4-3 over New York Yacht Club's "Liberty". This was the first time in 132 years that a country outside of United States of America won the cup. Fremantle then hosted the next America's Cup race and despite a huge effort from "Kookaburra II" they could not hold on to the cup.
In 1848, Queen Victoria authorized the creation of a "One Hundred Guinea Cup" of solid silver (134oz), 27" tall for a yacht race "open to all nations." In 1851 one American boat challenged 16 English ships. The USA entry was the schooner "America." W.H. Brown, the designer, was so confident of his design that he refused payment if "America" did not win and win he did.
Australia first challenge for the Cup was in 1962 with Alan Payne's "Gretel" losing 4-1 to Weatherly
The Sydney to Hobart yacht race is an Ocean Racing event which attracts many overseas boats and competitors. It starts on Boxing Day in Sydney and 630 nautical miles later after some notorious rough water and incredible coastline it finishes in Hobart. The race held in 1998 caused many yatchs to sink, loose masts and even left many crew floundering in the rough seas. This race took the lives of 6 sailors from around the world.
The history of Formula One racing is a long and very old road in which one meets people of time long past and one never stops learning what makes Formula 1 the sport it is.
Grand Prix racing stands at the pinnacle of motor sport, and although modern designers attribute more to the science of aerodynamics than mechanical engineering it has not always been the case. Early races were run on public roads and were contested by tricycles, horseless carriages and even the occasional steam powered omnibus
Adeliade hosted the first Australian Formula One race in 1985 and continued to do so until 1996 until Melbourne won the rights to host the race.
Australia'sMelbourne Cup a "Race That Stops The Nation". Visitors from all over the world converge to Melbourne for the Spring Racing Carnival. On the first tuesday of November the annual horse race takes place. The winner of the first Melbourne cup was the horse Archer in 1861.
All over Australia work stops for this event, schools show the race and all towns and cities host Melbourne Cup luncheons. The television viewing audience is estimated to be 500 million people spread over 120 countries. The Foster’s Melbourne Cup is Australia’s richest horse race with total prize money of $3.035 million with the first prize being $1.8million plus trophies valued at $35,000.
The Melbourne Cup owners trophy is a 3-handled “loving cup” in 9 carat gold, and is valued at $32,500. The winning trainer and jockey receive miniature replicas of the Cup, each valued at $1000. The Strapper is also awarded the Tommy Woodcock trophy, valued at $500. The winning rider is also presented with the traditional gold mounted Wirth’s Whip.
Phar Lap is Australia's most famous racehorse. Foaled in New Zealand in 1926 by Night Raid out of Entreaty he grew to 17 hands and over his career won more than 65 thousand pounds in prize money and won 37 of his 51 starts. From September 1929 he was the favourite in all but one of his races.Phar Lap died in suspicious circumstances, some believing he was poisoned. After his death his bones were donated to Dominion Museum in New Zealand, his hide was mounted and put on display at the Museum of Victoria, and Phar Lap's big heart resides at the National Museum of Australia.Phar Lap, in his last Melbourne Cup campaign in 1931, carried a 10 stone (68kg) handicap. Even a horse with a heart as big as Phar Lap's couldn't overcome it. The race was won by White Nose.
It is a huge day for all, not just for the horses, with fashion parades to show the most original and strangest outfit. Another tradition that goes with " the cup" is hats, they can be big or small, floral or just plain old strange. The idea of the hat craze is to be seen in the wackiest hat around.
Australia won its first Davis Cup at Wimbledon in 1907. The winning combination was N.E. Brooks and A.F. Wilding. Then in 1970 Margaret Court smashed her way into the record books by winning the Gand Slam. She was only the second female ever to win the women's gran slam. Her wins were the Australian Open, French Open USA Open and Wimbledon.
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