Australia Celebrates 100 Olympic Medals Thanks to NSW Institute of Sport

The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) has hit a remarkable milestone: a century of Olympic medals for Australia! This was made possible through the top-notch performances of its athletes, alongside support from dedicated high-performance experts.

The 100th medal— a silver— was clinched by William Yang while he swam in the heat for the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Just moments earlier, two fellow NSWIS swimmers, Bronte Campbell and Olivia Wunsch, snagged gold in the women’s equivalent event.

Kevin Thomson, the CEO of NSWIS, couldn’t contain his excitement. “This is a phenomenal result for a state institute,” he said, highlighting the significant impact NSWIS has made in both Olympic and Paralympic successes.

Before the Paris Games kicked off, NSWIS had already helped 113 athletes claim a total of 98 medals across 14 different sports. Rowing, hockey, and swimming have been some of the standout sports, with 31, 23, and 20 Olympic medallists respectively.

Thomson emphasized how NSWIS often outshines several other countries. For instance, during the same period, New Zealand brought home 75 Olympic medals, while Denmark had 62, Sweden secured 60, Croatia took 38, and Ireland earned 20 medals.

“NSWIS provides a ton of support to athletes,” Thompson explained. “This includes access to world-class training venues, plus services like sports science, medicine, data science, equipment technology, and top-notch coaching.”

Among the impressive list of past medallists associated with NSWIS are swimming legend Ian Thorpe, who boasts nine Olympic medals, and cyclist Bradley McGee, who has five medals won across three Olympic competitions. Other notable mentions include softball champions Natalie Ward and Melanie Roche, who both shone at four consecutive Olympic Games, and rising canoe slalom star Jessica Fox, who’s looking to add more medals in Paris.

Since its inception in 1996, NSWIS has built a solid reputation for its crucial role in backing high-performance athletes who are ready to represent Australia at the Olympics, Paralympics, or Commonwealth Games.

“I’m incredibly proud of all the athletes who have earned these medals and the experts who have helped them reach the Olympic stage,” Thomson remarked. He also noted the importance of continuing this support as Australia gears up for the home Games in 2032.