Australia (AUS)

Australia, whose National Olympic Committee was formed and recognized by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 1895, has competed at every Summer Olympic Games. In 1908 and 1912 it competed as Australasia in a combined team with New Zealand. Australia has been successful in many sports, but particularly so in swimming and track & field.

Swimmers Ian Thorpe and Emma McKeon are the only Australians to have won five gold medals. McKeon has the most medals of any Australian Olympian, with 11, seven of which were won at Tokyo 2020, equalling the record for the most medals won by a woman at a single Olympics.

Australia has also competed at the Olympic Winter Games – those of 1936 and continuously since 1952, winning 19 medals and six golds. Australia won its first Winter Olympic medal at the 1994 Lillehammer Olympic Winter Games, a bronze in the men’s short track speedskating relay. Its best Olympic Winter Games have come in 2022, with four medals (one gold), while winning two gold medals in 2002 and 2006. Its best Winter sports have been freestyle skiing and snowboarding.

Australia has also hosted the Games of the XVIth Olympiad in 1956 in Melbourne, and more recently the sublime Games of the XXVIIth Olympiad in 2000 in Sydney, and the Games of the XXXVth Olympiad will be held in Brisbane in 2032. In 1957 the Olympic Committee of Australia was awarded with the Count Alberto Bonacossa Trophy.