Greatest Australian Sporting Achievement

[Scotty]

Ps I pick Cadel first.

 

[Scotty]

I guess we should define sporting 'achievement'. There is a difference between an individual or team achievement in the pure sporting sense and the 'iconic achievement' that some are talking about.

Iconic
I would rank Freeman first in this, Australia II second.

Pure Achievement
Cadel comes first here for me. The likes of Cuthbert and Fraser are also right up there.

 

[ACT Crusader]

ill bet anyone $1m that in 10 years, no even 2 years, that Scott’s win won’t get anywhere near the top 10 in any lists.
Typical short term memory hype from the media and short term thinkers.
Reminds me of greatest songs of all time lists. Todays crappy pop hits make it up high in the lists when in 2 years wouldn’t make the top 10,000.
Scott’s win is fantastic, but there’s dozens of other golfing moments that are equal, let alone dozens of other sporting achievements that leave it for dead.
Couldn’t be bothered with a top 10, but greatest sportsman, Bradman by a mile.
Greatest single achievement. Cadel. Drug jokes aside, the biggest, most gruelling, fittest athletes in the world. European dominated.
Go ride a bike up the dandenongs. Then ride 3-4 times the speed on mountains 5 times a long and twice as steep, up and down, for 3000k.
Most over-rated. America’s cup. Technology 80%. Athletes 20%. Perhaps Australia’s greatest sports engineering feat. And a mostly elitist sport at that level. What a joke

And yet those same short term memories remember the Shark's losses many years prior. I think this will be remembered for a long time. I like golf, not a religious follower but watch and follow enough and even I recognise that Scott's Masters victory is massive for the sport in OZ given the history. OZ has produced so many fantastic golfers over many years and yet no one has walked away from Augusta with a green jacket in their suitcase.

Cadel Evans victory was amazing especially after some of the set backs during the race, but would his be in the team or individual category? I know he was the winner, but there are teammates riding along side you for good periods, working strategically against other riders for his benefit. It doesn't diminish the overall achievement but it can't be understated when considering the TDF.

 

[Spieber]

I am not sure how Freeman rates above Scott. She was the favourite and it isn't like an Australian hasn't won a track gold medal before. I find it difficult to understand why she is held above so many great Olympic athletes we have produced. People get caught up in the hype and nostalgia.

In a field weakened by the hounding out of Sydney of Marie-Jose Perec. Not sure how she rates above any of the 1950s golden girls or even Raelene Boyle who was only defeated by a drug infused East German in Munich 100/200, oh and anyone for tennis (Rod Laver????).

 

[Train Without a Station]

89 Ashes

 

[Wazza2013]

Australia II , was a bloody good win.

My high school wood work teacher at that time was American , We gave him a lot of stick over it.....Get it stick , wood work lol.

OK , that seemed a lot funnier before I typed it

 

[sootyanddave]

In a field weakened by the hounding out of Sydney of Marie-Jose Perec. Not sure how she rates above any of the 1950s golden girls or even Raelene Boyle who was only defeated by a drug infused East German in Munich 100/200, oh and anyone for tennis (Rod Laver????).

Hounding out?
Seemed contrived to me.

 

[Melbourne Terrace]

You can't not have the socceroo's completely defying the odds against uruguay to make finally make the world cup in 2005. So much went against the game for 30 years after the last time they made it to West Germany that there should have been no way they'd make another one (let alone two more after that).

Cadel Evans would be after that, considering he had to fight of a bunch of doped riders to succeed.

 

[Jets]

You can't not have the socceroo's completely defying the odds against uruguay to make finally make the world cup in 2005. So much went against the game for 30 years after the last time they made it to West Germany that there should have been no way they'd make another one (let alone two more after that).

Cadel Evans would be after that, considering he had to fight of a bunch of doped riders to succeed.

Have to agree with this. The move to Asia has made it easier for us to qualify but in the World Game every team you play is going to be hard.

 

[Braveheart81]

Have to agree with this. The move to Asia has made it easier for us to qualify but in the World Game every team you play is going to be hard.

I don't know if it's so much easier as opposed to more predictable and consistent.

With our previous qualifying through Oceania we faced very little competition (except the one time we got ousted by NZ) and then our qualifying came down to a home and away tie (normally against the 6th place South Amercian team) and that was it.

At least now we get to play lots of games and if we're good enough we'll make it through. Far less of a lottery.

Asian football is improving quite quickly and I think it will become harder for us to qualify each time if we don't keep improving as well.

 

[Hugh Jarse]

Retaining the America's Cup in 2013 for the Oracle Syndicate?