News Stories - 3 March 2010
2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games
Australia recorded its most successful result at an Olympic Winter Games this year, with nine athletes finishing in the top ten, including two gold and one silver medal.
The winners at the 2010 Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver were:
Torah Bright - gold – Halfpipe; Lydia Lassila - gold – Aerials; Dale Begg-Smith – silver – Moguls; Jacqui Cooper – 5th – Aerials; Tatiana Borodulina – 7th - 1000m Short Track; Scott Kneller – 7th – Skicross; Holly Crawford – 8th – Halfpipe; Emma Lincoln-Smith – 10th – Skeleton; Damon Hayler – 10th – Snowboard cross
Overall, Australia finished 13th in the medal tally. It is the fifth consecutive Winter Games where Australia has won a medal, commencing with the bronze medal won in the short track skating relay in Lillehammer in 1994. Australia has now won medals in women’s aerials at the past three Games.
While Australia's Chef de Mission, Ian Chesterman, was widely reported in the media as saying additional funding to winter programs and increased facility support would be necessary for Australia to be even more productive in future Games, the Minister for Sport, Kate Ellis, emphasised the support given to winter Games athletes through the Australian Sports Commission. This included $7.6 million provided since 2006 – 07 to support sports on the Winter 2010 program.
This funding helped 21 Australian Institute of Sport athletes gain a place on the Australian Winter Olympic Team – representing more than half of the team.
Freestyle aerials gold medallist Lydia Lassila carried the Australian flag at the closing ceremony in Vancouver.