WA Launches #Rio2016 Team Appeal

Published On: 11 August 2015

From L-R: Triple Olympian Eamon Sullivan, Western Australian Premier Colin Barnett, Minister for Sport and Recreation Mia Davies, AOC Rio 2016 chef de mission Kitty Chiller and former Western Australian Premier and Chairman of the 2016 WAOC Team Appeal Committee Richard Court standing with a cheque from the WA State Government which has launched the WAOC's 2016 Rio Team Appeal campaign.

With the countdown to next year’s Olympics ticking under a year to go, Premier Colin Barnett and Sport and Recreation Minister Mia Davies have kicked off the Western Australian Olympic Games Fundraising Team Appeal for Rio de Janeiro 2016.

“We’re proud of our world-class sports system in Western Australia and we’re very proud of our history when it comes to the Olympic Games,” the Premier said.

“It takes a whole community to get athletes to the Olympics and we look forward to cheering on our sports stars next year at the Rio Games.”

Western Australia typically has about 40-50 representatives on an Olympic team, which can comprise between 400 – 500 athletes. Those in contention include WAIS javelin thrower Kim Mickle, WAIS pole vaulter Nina Kennedy and an expectant number of WA Hockeyroos and Kookaburras representatives.

Ms Davies said the State Government provided further support for local aspiring Olympians by funding the recently opened $33.73 million Western Australian Institute of Sport High Performance Service Centre. WAIS is home to the national training programs for pole vault and javelin.

“We’ve also invested in the WA Athletics Stadium and the WA Rugby Centre which WA athletes will be using for training, especially as rugby makes its debut at the games next year,” she said.

“All sports stars of tomorrow have to start somewhere and the State Government, through the Department of Sport and Recreation, nurtures athletes with numerous grants and programs from the grassroots level right through to the elite.

“I look forward to celebrating the achievements of our athletes next year.”

-DSR