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20 November 2002

Longley and Hawkes special guests at AIS 21^st Birthday in Perth

Australian Institute of Sport and Australian Olympians Luc Longley (basketball) and Rechelle Hawkes (hockey) will be special guests at tomorrow morning's AIS 21^st birthday celebration breakfast at Perth's Hyatt Regency Hotel.

Also attending the breakfast will be Professor John Bloomfield, the man whose report into sport in the early 1970s provided the blueprint for the AIS to eventually be established after a poor performance at the 1976 Montreal Olympics.

Longley (1986-87) was a member of the AIS men's basketball residential program in Canberra, while Hawkes (1986-2000) was based in Perth with the women's hockey program.

The pair was among the AIS 21 'best of the best' announced in Canberra last month - a group that included former Wallaby captain and now ASC Board Member John Eales, marathon runner Robert de Castella, and swimmer Michael Klim.

Longley, 33 said the AIS prepared him for basketball at the elite level. 'Training alongside so many top quality athletes under the guidance of the best coaches was an inspiration,' Longley said.

Hawkes, 35 also acknowledged the support of the Institute and said it had made a significant contribution to Australia's sporting achievements and reputation. 'The AIS has been the backbone of Australia's success at Olympic, Commonwealth Games, and world championship level,' Hawkes said.

The AIS was established on Australia Day, 26 January 1981, as a result of Australia's poor performance at the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games.

The AIS made a significant contribution to Australia's excellent results at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games with 321 of the 620-strong team being current or former AIS scholarship holders. Of the record 58 medals that were won at the Sydney Olympics, 32 came from current or former AIS athletes. They won eight gold, 11 silver and 13 bronze medals.

It was a similar story at the 2000 Paralympics with just under half of the record 149 medals won by current or former scholarship holders. AIS Paralympians won 32 gold, 14 silver and 13 bronze medals.

Contacts: David Packwood, AIS 02 6214 1476 / 0408 417 894
Matthew Eggins, AIS 02 6214 1409 / 0413 157 255

Australian Sports Commission, Leverrier Cres, Bruce ACT 2617PO Box 176, Belconnen ACT 2616Telephone: +61 02 6214 1111Facsimile: +61 02 6251 2680
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