AIS swimmer Brenton Rickard has won a silver medal with a superb swim in the men's 200m breaststroke final.

The fifth fastest qualifier into the final, Rickard went hard from the start and was in a medal position all the way.

Japan's Kosuke Kitajima won the gold medal in 2min07.64sec, an Olympic record.

Rickard's Beijing achievement follows three years of dedication and training at the Australian Institute of Sport. An elated Rickard has paid credit to the support received from the Institute.

‘The AIS has been outstanding in helping me achieve my Olympic dream.’ Rickard said.

‘The support of our coaches, doctors and sports scientists has really been fantastic.’

Rickard’s coach, Vince Raleigh, paid tribute to the 24-year-old's tremendous achievement.

'To win an Olympic Games silver medal takes hours and hours of training and perseverance.' Raleigh said.

'Brenton has worked really hard to achieve this great result for Australia.'

AIS Director Professor Peter Fricker was equally as proud and paid tribute to the athlete’s persistence and determination.

'This result is an outstanding success both for Brenton, Vince and for the AIS swimming program,' Fricker said

'Brenton’s silver medal is a real testament to his personal commitment to his sport and the training program here at the AIS.’

The Australian Institute of Sport was established in 1981, and has consistently contributed to Australia’s outstanding sporting performance on the world stage.

The Australian Olympic team in Beijing consists of 433 athletes. Of these, there are 262 current or former AIS athletes.

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC), on behalf of the Australian Government, invests in and supports our Olympians and Paralympians in many ways.

In addition to the $18.1 million the ASC provided to the AIS in 2007/08, the ASC also funded the athletes’ sports to the tune of $53.4 million in 2007/08.

Furthermore, the ASC provided direct funding totalling $4.3 million to more than 400 athletes in 2007/08 — vital support for athletes in their preparation for sporting success. This represents a total Australian government investment of $75.8 million in 2007/08 for our Olympians and Paralympians. The ASC is committed to providing all Australians with the best opportunity possible to participate in sport.

Contacts:

AIS Media Officer, David Packwood (02) 62141476 or 0408 417894.

* The AIS is a major division of the Australian Sports Commission, contributing to Australia’s sporting success for over 25 years.