NSW Institute of Sport Celebrates Milestone with 100th Olympic Medal

The NSW Institute of Sport (NSWIS) has hit an incredible milestone by contributing a total of 100 Olympic medals to Australia’s count, thanks to the hard work of its talented athletes and dedicated support team.

The latest medal—a silver—was clinched by William Yang as a heat swimmer in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay during the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Just moments before, fellow NSWIS swimmers, Bronte Campbell and Olivia Wunsch, earned gold medals in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Kevin Thomson, the CEO of NSWIS, expressed his excitement about this fantastic achievement, noting how significant it is for a state institute.

“History shows that NSWIS has played a vital role in boosting both Olympic and Paralympic medal counts,” he said.

Before Paris 2024 kicked off, NSWIS had already made a mark by helping 113 athletes achieve a combined total of 98 Summer Olympic medals across 14 different sports. Notably, rowing topped the chart with 31 medallists, followed by hockey with 23, and swimming with 20.

Thomson emphasized that NSWIS really stands out on an international level: “It’s impressive that we’ve outperformed some countries in their entire Olympic medal tallies—while New Zealand has 75 medals, Denmark 62, Sweden 60, Croatia 38, and Ireland 20.”

The institute provides extensive support for athletes, including access to state-of-the-art training facilities and expert services across various fields like sports science, medicine, data analysis, equipment technology, and coaching.

Among the notable NSWIS alumni are legendary swimmer Ian Thorpe, who won nine Olympic medals, cyclist Bradley McGee with five medals, and softball stars Natalie Ward and Melanie Roche, who both medaled across four Olympic Games. Current Olympic champion Jessica Fox, a canoe slalom star, is also in the spotlight as she aims for more medals in Paris.

Since opening its doors in 1996, NSWIS has built an impressive reputation for nurturing top-tier athletes who have what it takes to represent Australia on the global stage at the Olympics, Paralympics, and Commonwealth Games.

Thomson expressed his pride in the achievements of both the athletes and the support team that helped them reach the Olympic podium. Looking ahead to the home Games in 2032, he stressed the importance of maintaining support for high-performance sports in New South Wales.