AIS and Australia’s dinghy crew Nathan Wilmot and Malcolm Page have won gold in the 470 men's event at the Beijing Olympics sailing regatta in Qingdao.

The double-handed dinghy pair finished so far ahead of their nearest rivals on points that they could not fail to be crowned Olympic champions when they crossed the start line today.

Both Wilmot and Page have paid credit to the support received from the AIS.

‘The AIS has been tremendous in helping both Malcolm and I achieve our Olympic dream.’ Wilmot said.

‘The support from our coaches, doctors and sports scientists has really been first class.’

‘We’re tremendously thankful to the AIS and the support they have given us in realising our Olympic dream.’ Page said.

Head coach, Victor Kovalenko, has paid tribute to the tremendous achievement of both athletes.

'To win an Olympic Games gold medal takes hours and hours of training and perseverance.' Kovalenko said. 'Both Nathan and Malcolm have 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 Nathan, Malcolm, Victor and for the AIS sailing program,' Fricker said

'There gold medal is a real testament to both athlete’s personal commitment to their sport and their 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.