The Great White Shark got into the Olympic swim today, presenting five support grants to Olympic athletes in need of a pre-Games boost.
Golfing legend Greg Norman was given a taste of what makes synchronised swimming special when members of the Australian team demonstrated their skills in the Crown Towers swimming pool, after receiving their grants from the Foster's Sports Foundation. "Good stance," the Shark was heard to say.
Three of the synchronised swimmers - Naomi Young, Tracey Davis and Kelly Geraghty - joined their teammates as recipients of $5,000 grants from the Foundation, in recognition of their achievement in winning a place on the current Australian squad. The synchronised swimming team, which has been well-publicised for its efforts to win the financial support necessary to sustain a team in a non-traditional Olympic sport, will use the grants to cover expenses leading up to the Games.
"I am honoured to be involved, through my association with Foster's, in providing some support for these young athletes," Greg Norman said. "I think everyone is well aware that I care deeply about the future of young sportspeople in this country, and the Foster's Sports Foundation is really a fantastic way to help them achieve their goals."
Mr Norman also presented awards to champion backstroke swimmers Roy Hass and Adrian Bradley, who sprinted down the pool to receive their batons.
The Foster's Sports Foundation, established in 1997, has to date handed out $1.1 million in grants to aspiring Australian Olympians. In 2000, the Olympic year, the Foundation begins handing out an extra $1 million in grants to all members of the Australian team who have not received a sports grant or other support.
"We are determined to provide grants to young athletes, not just because they're winners - race-winners or match-winners or headline-winners - but because they have all shown real potential to compete, in the true Olympic spirit," Alan Kemp, Vice President Olympics, said. "These are the athletes who want to put their heads down and concentrate on training to do their best, but who may otherwise have the distraction of trying to source the funds they need to continue."
The President and CEO of Foster's, Mr Ted Kunkel, said 2000 was a very special year for Foster's. "The year 2000 promises to be an exciting one for this company - not the least because we are such a quintessentially Australian company, and this year is going to be a spectacular one for the whole country."
"As we progress towards September, the Sydney Olympic Games will put Australia in the global spotlight, and it is our intention to do everything we can as a company to help make the Games an experience which correctly portrays, and enhances, Australia's image."
Mr Kunkel said Greg Norman, who has an alliance with Foster's beer and wine businesses, had an important contribution to make to promoting not only Foster's products, but Australia generally in the Olympic year.
"Even a product with a great global presence like Foster's Lager, or Australian wine, which now has its own unique identity worldwide, can do with some help from a knowledgeable ambassador," he said. "That's where a great Australian like Greg Norman, undoubtedly our most famous international sportsman, can make a fantastic contribution to the world's understanding of everything Australian."
Further information:
Gayle Austen
Tel: +61 3 9633 2233
Mob: 0418 457 702
Email: gayle.austen@fostersgroup.com
