• Since the establishment of the Australian Institute of Sport in 1981 AIS athletes have won a total of 142 Olympics medals (33 gold, 49 silver and 60 bronze). The Australian Institute of Sport is located on a 65 hectare site in Bruce, Canberra.

• More than 6,000 athletes have passed through the AIS since its establishment in 1981. Many have gone on to become World champions and to represent Australian at the Olympics Games.

• By 2007, approximately 700 athletes were on scholarship at the Institute in 35 separate programs across 26 sports. These athletes receive top-level coaching, access to equipment, sports science and sports medicine facilities, accommodation, meals and travel, and assistance with education and career planning.

• AIS athletes past and present contributed to 7 Gold, 9 Silver and 7 Bronze medals at the Beijing Olympic Games.  There were 263 current and former AIS athletes that competed at the Beijing Games.

• And 46 current and former athletes won 17 gold, 12 silver and 13 bronze medals at the Beijing Paralympic Games.

• A who’s-who of Australian sporting legends have called the AIS home—Cathy Freeman, Petria Thomas and Jodie Henry, Lleyton Hewitt, Ricky Ponting and Adam Gilchrist, Alisa Camplin, Luc Longley and Lauren Jackson, George Gregan, John Eales and Andrew Bogut to name a few.

• The tallest AIS athlete is a volleyballer at 213cm.

• Athens Olympics gold medallist Petria Thomas swam an estimated 40,000 kilometres in the AIS pool facility during her 12 years as an AIS athlete.

• Athens Olympics bronze medallist walker Nathan Deakes has walked an estimated 90,000 kilometres during his nine years as an AIS athlete.

• AIS nutrition caters for AIS athletes in the dining hall serving per week up to 1100 litres milk, 960 tubs yoghurt, 860 litres juice and 120 kilograms of bananas.

Did you know?

Australia is one of only two nations to have competed in every modern Summer Olympic Games.

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