Australia is one of the most sporting nations in the world. The fact the country has twice played host to the Summer Olympics speaks volumes.
History’s story lines
Settlers, willing and unwilling, from Britain in the 19th century brought their home games of old football (not soccer) and cricket to the new continent.
It’s these games that Australians are still essentially passionate about to this day. Old English football, not yet separated into footy (soccer) and rugby (handball), has undergone a positive “mutation” in Australia giving rise to such an unusual game as Australian football.
It’s matches in the Australian professional football league (AFL) that draw the most spectators. Even women’s soccer matches are more watched than men’s teams in other sports.
Cricket is the second most watched sport in Australia. Cricket and Australian football were the reason Australia got its first stadium in 1853. It was the Melbourne Cricket Ground – a major arena for football and cricket battles in the XIX century.
The English-language basis of the Australian nation also translates into other sporting pursuits. Racecourse, rowing, boxing, tennis and, later, rugby under English rules were popular at first. The other sports began to be cultivated on the continent much later.
The most successful of the later “newcomers” was soccer. It was initially popular only among the many immigrants. But after the 1990s, when legislative efforts were made to bring football clubs in Australia out of the ethnic divide, soccer made a huge leap and left behind both rugby and basketball, which once had a lot of support. The creation of the professional A-League finally cemented football as the world’s third most popular sporting game.
Where does Australia rule?
The continent’s representatives have distinguished themselves in many sports but particularly well regarded in rugby, rowing, track cycling and swimming. Football, tennis, volleyball, wrestling and basketball players have an equally wary eye on their Australian rivals. For more than a hundred Olympic gold medallists the continent of Green is their home.
But the choices aren’t limited to the sports listed above: there’s even a bandy (hockey) federation!
Sporting forums
– Each January the eyes of tennis enthusiasts are on Australia. The Australian Open is one of the most prestigious tournaments in the world, attracting some of the world’s best players.
– The Australian Football League (AFL), National Rugby League (NRL) and Australian Football League (A-League) seasons are also so exciting that matches are broadcast around the world.
– Australia’s summer Olympics in Melbourne (1956) and Sydney (2000) have remained forever in the history of world sport. The 2006 Sydney Commonwealth Games were a colourful sporting celebration.
The whole world knows them
Here are just a few names of Australian athletes who have made their homeland famous:
Ian Thorpe, Don Fraser, Jody Henry, Mark Currie (all swimming), Harry Kewell (soccer), Mark Woodford (tennis), Mervyn Wood, James Tomkins (both rowing), Stephen Bradbury (short track).
Major sports arenas
“Australia (Sydney), Alliance Stadium (Sydney), Melbourne Cricket Ground, Melbourne Park.