Legacy of Sydney Olympics continues on

[Fiona]

The financial legacy and the great facilities from the Sydney 2000 Olympics will help propel Australia to another top five finish at the 2008 Beijing Games, according to Olympic chief John Coates.

Speaking on the fifth anniversary of the Opening Ceremony for the Sydney Games, president of the Australian Olympic Committee Coates said "the best Games ever" had proved a perfect launching pad for future success.

"After staging the Games, most Olympic host countries experience disappointing results. The AOC was determined to avoid any Olympic hangover," he said.

"We wanted desperately to maintain the momentum of Sydney."

Coates said the financial legacy achieved as a result of the Sydney Games had been key to the nation's subsequent success at the Salt Lake City winter games and the Athens 2004 summer Olympics.

At Athens Australia won 48 medals, including a record 17 gold, again finishing in fourth place on the medal table after winning 16 gold and 58 medals in total in Sydney.

At Salt Lake City in 2002 Australia won its first ever winter Olympic gold medals.

"The financial legacy (from Sydney) has enabled us to maintain funding to our member sports and direct to the athletes," Coates said.

"Our teams are better prepared because of that investment."

Coates said the AOC had budgeted a record $36 million in funding for the 2004-2008 quadrennium and is committed to sending another "full" team of about 500 athletes to the Beijing Games.

"We feel extremely fortunate to be in such a strong financial position that we can afford to take so many athletes to the Olympic Games," he said.

"We are fully independent of Government and rely on the rock solid support of our sponsors and investments for our funding dollars."

And Coates said the world class sporting facilities built at Sydney Olympic Park were one of the great legacies of the Sydney Games.

"In terms of usage, the major venues are an outstanding success," he said.

"It is fantastic that Australians can watch international sport like the Rugby World Cup, Tennis and Hockey as well as domestic football and other events in those venues.

"Sydney Olympic Park also provides training facilities for juniors and some of our lesser profile sports who in the past really struggled for somewhere decent to train."

National Nine News