Australia at the 1994 Winter Olympics
Encyclopedia
Australia
competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics
in Lillehammer
, Norway
.
Australia won a bronze medal in the men's 5000 metres short track relay, the first medal at the Winter Olympic Games for the nation. A total of 27 Australian athletes competed, participating in alpine skiing
, biathlon
, bobsleigh
, cross-country skiing
, figure skating
, freestyle skiing
(in both aerials and moguls), luge
, short track speed skating
and speed skating
.
Alpine skiing
Men
Women
Biathlon
Moguls
Women
The relay result was Australia's first Winter Olympics medal. In the semi-final, they beat Japan
and New Zealand
to qualify behind Canada
. They went into the final with three objectives: to stay on their feet (to avoid a repeat of what happened in Albertville), to remain undisqualified, and to beat at least one of the other three finalists. With 21 of 45 laps to go, a Canadian crashed into the side, and was out of contention. With 12 laps to go, Italian
Mirko Vuillermin accelerated away, creating a gap such that Australia was unlikely to win gold. Until the last change, it seemed that Australia might win silver. Nizielski was the final skater, and said later that "At the last change [American] Eric Flaim got a good push-away and he stepped underneath my feet and stopped me. I thought, well I'm not going to fight him for this. I didn't want to let the team down. And I was very aware that I had taken a fall in Albertville. I just wanted to get through and get the medal." Team member Steven Bradbury went on to win Australia's first winter gold in 2002.
Speed skating
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
competed at the 1994 Winter Olympics
1994 Winter Olympics
The 1994 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XVII Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated from 12 to 27 February 1994 in and around Lillehammer, Norway. Lillehammer failed to win the bid for the 1992 event. Lillehammer was awarded the games in 1988, after having beat...
in Lillehammer
Lillehammer
is a town and municipality in Oppland county, Norway, globally known for hosting the 1994 Winter Olympics. It is part of the traditional region of Gudbrandsdal. The administrative centre of the municipality is the town of Lillehammer. As of May 2011, the population of the town of Lillehammer was...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
.
Australia won a bronze medal in the men's 5000 metres short track relay, the first medal at the Winter Olympic Games for the nation. A total of 27 Australian athletes competed, participating in alpine skiing
Alpine skiing
Alpine skiing is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Alpine skiing can be contrasted with skiing using free-heel bindings: Ski mountaineering and nordic skiing – such as cross-country; ski jumping; and Telemark. In competitive alpine skiing races four...
, biathlon
Biathlon
Biathlon is a term used to describe any sporting event made up of two disciplines. However, biathlon usually refers specifically to the winter sport that combines cross-country skiing and rifle shooting...
, bobsleigh
Bobsleigh
Bobsleigh or bobsled is a winter sport in which teams of two or four make timed runs down narrow, twisting, banked, iced tracks in a gravity-powered sled that are combined to calculate the final score....
, cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
, figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
, freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing
Freestyle skiing is form of skiing which used to encompass two disciplines: aerials, and moguls. Except the two disciplines mentioned earlier Freestyle Skiing now consists of Skicross, Half Pipe and Slope Style...
(in both aerials and moguls), luge
Luge
A Luge is a small one- or two-person sled on which one sleds supine and feet-first. Steering is done by flexing the sled's runners with the calf of each leg or exerting opposite shoulder pressure to the seat. Racing sleds weigh 21-25 kilograms for singles and 25-30 kilograms for doubles. Luge...
, short track speed skating
Short track speed skating
Short track speed skating is a form of competitive ice speed skating. In competitions, multiple skaters skate on an oval ice track with a circumference of 111.12 m...
and speed skating
Speed skating
Speed skating, or speedskating is a competitive form of ice skating in which the competitors race each other in traveling a certain distance on skates. Types of speed skating are long track speed skating, short track speed skating, and marathon speed skating...
.
Medalists
| Medal | Name | Sport | Event |
|---|---|---|---|
| |
Short track speed skating Short track speed skating at the 1994 Winter Olympics The 1994 Winter Olympic Games Short Track results-500m:-1,000m:This unique race was one of the most unusual in the short history of short track speed skating. The bronze medal was won by an athlete that was not even in the final race. Derrick Campbell of Canada was obstructed by the Briton Nicky... |
Men's 5000 m relay |
Alpine skiingAlpine skiing at the 1994 Winter OlympicsAlpine skiing at the 1994 Winter Olympics consisted of ten events held near Lillehammer, Norway. The speed events were held at Kvitfjell and the technical events at Hafjell, from February 13-27, 1994.-Downhill:February 13, 1994-Super G:February 17, 1994...
Men
- Combined: Anthony Huguet (DNS)
- Downhill: Anthony Huguet (DNS)
- Giant slalom: Anthony Huguet (DNF)
- Super-G: Anthony Huguet (37th/48)
Women
- Combined: Zali SteggallZali SteggallZali Steggall is Australia's most internationally successful alpine skier, winning a bronze medal in slalom at the 1998 Winter Olympics in Nagano, and a World Championship gold medal in 1999. Steggall's long Olympic career extended from Albertville in 1992 to Salt Lake City in 2002...
(DNF) - Giant slalom: Zali Steggall (24th/24)
- Slalom: Zali Steggall (22nd/28)
- Super-G: Zali Steggall (DNS)
BiathlonBiathlon at the 1994 Winter OlympicsThe 1994 Winter Olympics Biathlon results.The sport of biathlon combines the skills of cross-country skiing and rifle shooting.- 10 km :February 23, 1994- 20 km :February 20, 1994One missed target equals a one minute penalty.- 4 x 7.5 km relay :...
- 7.5km: Kerryn Rim (née Pethybridge) (21st/69), Sandra Paintin-Paul (40th)
- 15km: Kerryn Rim (8th/68), Sandra Paintin-Paul (64th)
Bobsleigh
- Two-man: Justin McDonald and Glenn Carroll (27th/42)
- Four-man: Justin McDonald, Glenn Carroll, Scott Walker and Adam Barclay, Jason Giobbi (reserve) (20th/29)
Cross-country skiing
- 10km (classic): Anthony Evans (51st/88), Mark Gray (67th)
- 15km pursuit (freestyle): Anthony Evans (57th/74), Mark Gray (66th)
- 30km (freestyle): Mark Gray (61st/71)
- 50km (classic): Anthony Evans (47th/61), Mark Gray (59th)
Figure skating
- Men: Stephen CarrStephen Carr (figure skater)Stephen Carr is an Australian retired pair skater who currently works as a coach. With sister Danielle, he is a nineteen time Australian national champion. They competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics, placing 13th, the 1994 Winter Olympics, placing 11th, and the 1998 Winter Olympics, again placing...
(18th/25) - Pairs: Stephen CarrStephen Carr (figure skater)Stephen Carr is an Australian retired pair skater who currently works as a coach. With sister Danielle, he is a nineteen time Australian national champion. They competed at the 1992 Winter Olympics, placing 13th, the 1994 Winter Olympics, placing 11th, and the 1998 Winter Olympics, again placing...
and Danielle Carr (11th/17)
Freestyle skiing
Aerials- Women: Kirstie MarshallKirstie MarshallKirstie Marshall is a notable Australian aerial skier and Victorian state politician.Marshall was an ex-gymnast who became an aerial skier at Mount Buller, Victoria. During her skiing career Marshall won over 40 World Cup medals, including 17 World Cup gold medals...
(6th/22), Jacqui CooperJacqui CooperJacqui Cooper is an Australian freestyle skier and motivational speaker.Cooper has been participating in aerial skiing since she was 16, and has been in the Australian team for 13 years. She has had many injuries, including a shattered knee and a broken back.She competed at the 1994 Winter...
(16th)
Moguls
- Men: Adrian Costa (14th/29), Nick Cleaver (16th), Paul Costa (26th)
Short track speed skating
Men- 500m: Steven BradburySteven BradburySteven John Bradbury OAM is a former Australian short track speed skater and four-time Olympian, who won the 1,000 m event at the 2002 Winter Olympics after all of his opponents were involved in a last corner pile-up...
(8th/31), Richard Nizielski (10th), Kieran Hansen (23rd) - 1000m: Richard Nizielski, Kieran Hansen, Steven Bradbury (24th)
- 5000m relay: Australia (Steven Bradbury, Kieran Hansen, Andrew Murtha, Richard Nizielski, John Kah (reserve)) (3rd - bronze)
Women
- 500m: Karen Kah (12th/30)
- 1000m: Karen Kah (11th/30)
The relay result was Australia's first Winter Olympics medal. In the semi-final, they beat Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
to qualify behind Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. They went into the final with three objectives: to stay on their feet (to avoid a repeat of what happened in Albertville), to remain undisqualified, and to beat at least one of the other three finalists. With 21 of 45 laps to go, a Canadian crashed into the side, and was out of contention. With 12 laps to go, Italian
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
Mirko Vuillermin accelerated away, creating a gap such that Australia was unlikely to win gold. Until the last change, it seemed that Australia might win silver. Nizielski was the final skater, and said later that "At the last change [American] Eric Flaim got a good push-away and he stepped underneath my feet and stopped me. I thought, well I'm not going to fight him for this. I didn't want to let the team down. And I was very aware that I had taken a fall in Albertville. I just wanted to get through and get the medal." Team member Steven Bradbury went on to win Australia's first winter gold in 2002.
Speed skatingSpeed skating at the 1994 Winter OlympicsThe 1994 Winter Olympic Games Speed Skating results.-500 m:Monday February 14, 1994 — 40 competitors from 16 countries-1,000 m:Friday February 18, 1994 — 43 competitors from 17 countries-1,500 m:...
- 1000m: Phillip TahmindjisPhillip TahmindjisPhillip Tahmindjis is a former ice speed skater from Australia, who represented his native country in three consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1988 in Calgary, Canada.-Achievements:...
(37th/40) - 1500m: Danny KahDanny KahDanny Kah is a former ice speed skater from Australia, who represented his native country in three consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1988 in Calgary, Canada....
, Phillip TahmindjisPhillip TahmindjisPhillip Tahmindjis is a former ice speed skater from Australia, who represented his native country in three consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1988 in Calgary, Canada.-Achievements:...
(36th/41) - 5000m: Danny KahDanny KahDanny Kah is a former ice speed skater from Australia, who represented his native country in three consecutive Winter Olympics, starting in 1988 in Calgary, Canada....