4. A Sporting Culture.
Australians have developed a sporting sub/culture, whether they be spectators or participants, Australians have a love of Sports. Perhaps more than any other nation.
http://www.convictcreations.com/citizenship/sport.htmlAustralians have excelled at and have had many world champions in many world sports as well.
Tennis, Rugby League, Rugby Union, Cricket, Squash, Swimming, Hockey, Golf, Boxing, Track and Field, etc, etc, etc...
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Australians take great pride in the sporting feats of our compatriots — indeed a large degree of our national identity has been forged on the playing field.
From
Bradman to
Gould, Freeman to
Cash, the achievements of our legendary sports stars fill us with a collective national pride. In the wake of national celebrations for Australia Day, Wide World of Sports hones in on 11 of our greatest sporting heroes.
Don BradmanAny discussion of Australian sporting champions must begin with cricket legend Sir Donald "The Don" Bradman. Even with almost 70 years having passed since his retirement and 15 years since his death, Bradman's many batting records remain mostly unchallenged.
Bradman still holds the highest Test batting average of any batsmen at 99.94, and his insatiable run-making prowess is unlikely ever to be bettered.
Shane GouldAustralia has also excelled in the Olympic domain, with numerous legendary performers enshrining their names in the history books. Shane Gould wowed a generation as a shy 15-year-old schoolgirl at the 1972 Munich Games, winning three gold medals, a silver and a bronze in various swimming events.
But the pressure of success was too much for her and on her return to Australia, she retired from competitive swimming. The mother of four has since revived her career competing at Masters level, where she’s set an array of records, solidifying her legendary status.
Herb ElliottAussies have also excelled in the track and field arena. Herb Elliott was the greatest middle distance runner of his generation, unbeaten over both the mile and the 1500m during his career from 1957 to 1961.
Such was his domination during that period, it was simply assumed he couldn't lose — and in the 1960 Rome Olympics, he only fueled this rumour further by smashing his own world record, winning by 30m.
Betty CuthbertBetty Cuthbert became Australia's "Golden Girl" when she blitzed the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, winning a total of three gold medals, before taking home another gold in Tokyo four years later.
Cuthbert was inducted into The Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1985 as an Athlete Member and in 1994 was elevated to Legend of Australian Sport. Tragically, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis in 1969, but went on to become a keen advocate for the condition.
Cathy FreemanIn terms of an athlete who truly became a legend in a single moment, you can't go past Cathy Freeman. As Australia held its collective breath, the proud indigenous athlete clinched gold at the Sydney 2000 Olympics in stunning fashion during the 400m.
The significance of her achievement cannot be underestimated. Coming in an era where the incumbent government had refused to apologise for past injustices against the Aboriginal people, her win was a unifying experience for the entire nation
Mark RichardsAs a coastal nation, it should come as no surprise that Aussies have also excelled in surfing. Rising from the counter-culture milieu of the 1960s and 1970s, Australia's beaches spawned a radical crop of competitive surfers who dominated the fledgling years of professional surfing. And there were none better than Newcastle's Mark Richards.
Winning four world titles and revolutionising the sport with a powerfully fluid style, Richards was everything surfers weren't originally considered to be. A quiet, humble family man, Richards' Australian record of four titles has stood firm for years, with only three-time world champ Mick Fanning coming close.
Tennis legendsThe tennis courts of the world have also long been hallowed ground for Australian athletes. Legends include
Margaret Court, who won 62 Grand Slam titles between 1969 and 1975;
Rod Laver, who took the world by storm throughout the 1960s; and
Ken Rosewall, whose 20-year career carved his name forever in the Australian psyche.
Pat CashBut one of the greatest and most well-loved tennis champs from Oz is Pat Cash – whose victory over Ivan Lendl in the 1987 Wimbledon final cemented his status as eternal sporting legend.
Throughout his career, Cash won six singles titles and 12 doubles titles, before retiring from the game in 1997.
If you scratch the surface of almost any sport, you will find an Australian sporting legend. From sailors
John Bertrand and
Jessica Watson, to cricketers
Shane Warne and
Dennis Lillee, to golfers
Peter Thompson and
Greg Norman, this nation has bred a plethora of legends, all admired and loved for their achievements.
Try Pat Rafter before Pat Cash.