Australia at the 2002 Winter Olympics

Australia at the 2002 Winter Olympics
IOC code	AUS
NOC	Australian Olympic Committee
Website	www.olympics.com.au
in Salt Lake City
Competitors	27
Flag bearers	Adrian Costa (opening) Steven Bradbury (closing)
Medals Ranked 15th	Gold 2 Silver 0 Bronze 0 Total 2
Winter Olympics appearances (overview)
1936 1948 1952 1956 1960 1964 1968 1972 1976 1980 1984 1988 1992 1994 1998 2002 2006 2010 2014 2018 2022

Australia competed at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States, winning its first two gold medals in the Winter Games. It was the nation's best performance at the Winter Games prior to the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver.

Australia's first ever Winter Olympic gold, also the first such medal won by a competitor from any Southern Hemisphere country and semitropical nation was won by Steven Bradbury in the 1000 m short track speed skating. Well off the pace of the medal favourites, Bradbury was positioned at the rear in the semifinal, only to see his competitors crash into each other, allowing him through to the final. Again well off the pace in the final all four other competitors crashed out at the final corner, leaving a shocked Bradbury to take the gold medal. Bradbury was also part of the 1994 relay team that won Australia's first Winter Olympics medal.

Alisa Camplin, who hadn't won a world cup event before and was so nervous she didn't eat dinner the night before the final, won the second gold, in aerial skiing. Jacqui Cooper was previously a favourite, but she injured herself before the competition.

Jenny Owens had a top 10 result, finishing 9th in the combined downhill event, the second best performance by any Australian at an Olympic Games.

Australia competed in alpine skiing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, short track speed skating, and snowboarding. This was the fewest sports Australia had competed in since 1984. No Australian cross-country skiers competed in the Olympics for the first time since 1976, and no bobsledders competed for the first time since Australia's debut in 1988. Australian bobsledder Will Alstergren said "We also beat half the teams currently in Salt Lake City, but unfortunately we couldn't meet the very high standard of the AOC, the Australian Olympic Committee". Australian selection standards was also listed as a factor for Australia not competing in cross-country skiing at Salt Lake City.

During the 2002 Winter Olympics, the Australian broadcaster, the Seven Network, included in its coverage an irreverent talk show called The Ice Dream, which interviewed several celebrities and promoted the Smiggin Holes 2010 Winter Olympic bid. Bradbury's and Camplin's triumphs were celebrated by Australia Post issuing stamps of them, which followed on from them issuing stamps of Australian gold medallists at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. They were produced by high-speed offset stamp-printing, unlike the digitally produced 2000 stamps. Bradbury's stamp was issued on 20 February, and Camplin's was issued on 22 February, four days after their respective victories. Each received A$20,000 for the use of their image. Bradbury said "Should get me a car. I haven't had a car for a long time." and later described having a stamp issued as "a great honour". Camplin was also delighted, saying "For us to be put in with the summer Olympians who had their stamps and the previous 39 sporting legends who've had their stamps is amazing."

Medal	Name	Sport	Event	Date
Gold	Steven Bradbury	Short track speed skating	Men's 1000 m	16 February
Gold	Alisa Camplin	Freestyle skiing	Women's aerials	18 February

^[1]

Men

Women

^[1]

Alisa Camplin provided Australia with its second gold medal for the games.^[1]

Men

Women

Athlete	Event	Qualifying		Final
		Points	Rank	Points	Rank
Manuela Berchtold	Moguls	19.59	27	did not advance
Maria Despas	Moguls	21.19	21	did not advance
Jane Sexton	Moguls	20.47	25	did not advance
Alisa Camplin	Aerials	183.66	2 Q	193.47
Lydia Ierodiaconou	Aerials	166.06	10 Q	169.38	8

Steven Bradbury won Australia's and the Southern Hemisphere's first Winter Olympics gold medal in the 1000 metres event. Richard Goerlitz also attended these games, but did not compete.^[2]

Men

Athlete	Event	Heat		Quarterfinal		Semifinal		Final
		Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank	Time	Rank
Steven Bradbury	500 m	43.225	2 Q	44.982	3	did not advance			14
	1000 m	1:30.956	1 Q	1:29.265	2 Q	1:29.189	1 Q	1:29.109
	1500 m	2:22.632	3 Q	—		2:25.457	4 QB	B Final 2:28.604	10
Andrew McNee	500 m	44.289	4	did not advance					28
Mark McNee	1000 m	1:39.325	2 Q	1:46.701	4	did not advance			15
	1500 m	2:27.840	5	—		did not advance			28
Steven Bradbury Alex McEwan Mark McNee Stephen Lee	5000 m relay	—				7:19.177	3 QB	B Final 7:45.271	6

^[2]

Parallel GS

• Australia at the Winter Olympics

• Australia NOC
• Olympic Winter Institute of Australia
• "The Compendium: Official Australian Olympic Statistics 1896-2002" Australian Olympic Committee ISBN 0-7022-3425-7
• "Steven Bradbury: Last Man Standing" by Gary Smart and Steven Bradbury ISBN 0-9757287-8-4, 2005.
• Aussie golds in Winter games bring more instant stamps by Glen Stephens. Linn's stamp news. 11 March 2002.
• "Gold medallists get framed stamps" Australian Olympic Committee 25 February 2002.
• She comes from the land Down Under : Aussie aerialist Camplin captures gold in dramatic fashion
• The Sports Factor - interview with Will Alstergren
• XC Files: No Australian Cross Country Skiers... Archived 2023-01-02 at the Wayback Machine 7 February 2002.