Here are 30 great Qld sporting moments over the last 50 years - and yes Barty’s win is among them
Here are 30 great Queensland sporting moments since 1976 - and yes, Ash Barty’s Australian Open win is near the top.
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Ash Barty’s remarkable Australian Open win on Saturday night is one of the great Queensland sporting milestone moments in history.
Here we name just 30 of the most fabulous achievements by Queensland individual athletes over the last 50 years.
CATHY FREEMAN
The slightly built athlete from Mackay via Kooralbyn International School carried the weight of a nation on her back to win the 400m at the 2000 Sydney Olympic Games. Loved by the public, Freeman’s 400m THAT night in Sydney was indeed a race that stopped a nation.
ARIARNE TITMUS
Titmus’s 400m freestyle victory over the previously undefeated USA champion Katie Ledecky will live large down the decades. The euphoria, the drama, the achievement, the sheer will to win - the race had it all.
ASH BARTY
Like the victories by Freeman and Titmus, Barty’s Australian Open victory will forever be a “where were you that day’’ moment. That win, following her Wimbledon victory in 2021 and her French Open win in 2020, has inspired the next generation of tennis juniors. So humble, so down to earth, the Woodcrest State College alumni connects with people and many juniors at the West Brisbane Tennis Centre know her first hand.
SALLY PEARSON
Australia’s greatest hurdler from the Gold Coast, Pearson’s 2012 London Olympic Games gold medal win will live in the memory. It was even more rewarding given she had claimed a silver medal - Australia’s first in that event in 40 years - behind USA’s Dawn Harper at the 2008 Summer Olympics.
GLYNIS NUNN-CEARNS (née Saunders)
Toowoomba-raised Nunn was Australia’s first Olympic heptathlon champion, claiming gold at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games. Who can ever forget Nunn standing aloft in LA, holding a stuffed koala? She was also a Commonwealth Games hurdles bronze medallist. She is simply the best.
ZAC STUBBLETY-COOK
Had it not been for the extraordinary gold medal winning deeds of Ariarne Titmus and Emma McKeon at the Tokyo Olympic Games, Stubblety-Cook would have provided the highlight of the Games. As it stands his 200m breaststroke victory - when he was last turning for the final 50m - will live on.
JEFF HORN
Can you imagine a world championship boxing bout at Suncorp Stadium drawing a crowd of more than 50,000? Well it did, and it was local boy Jeff Horn who rebounded from a ninth round pounding to beat the incomparable Manny Pacquiao. It was a sporting theatre like no other, like a scene from Rocky except it was a former bullied schoolboy from Brisbane’s working class southern suburbs living out a real life moment for the ages.
ARTIE BEETSON
It is important for the younger generation to understand that the first State of Origin in 1980 was not just a historic rugby league game, but it was the future of Queensland v NSW clashes which were at stake. And who else to lead Queensland to a fairytale victory but a 35-year-old prodigal son returning to the promised land when the Maroons needed him most. His name was Arthur Beetson.
KIEREN PERKINS
King Kieren’s famous win from lane 8 in the 1500m of the 1996 Olympic Games was a “I remember where I was’’ moment. He had scraped into the final - hence his position in lane 8 - then proceeded to decimate the field to record (14:56.40).
GREG NORMAN
The Shark won 20 PGA Tour tournaments and two majors -The Open Championships in 1986 and 1993. But the Mt Isa-born is etched in memories for, rather ironically, not winning. His dramatic second placings in two PGA championships and two US Opens was sporting theatre of the highest order.
JASON DAY
It was a truly remarkable story for a boy from a working class background to rise to the top of the golfing tree by winning the 2015 PGA Championship - and finish second in two US Opens. The Monday morning of 2015, when he was putting for the PGA Championship, was captivating viewing. That win remains one of Australia’s greatest sporting success stories.
MICK DOOHAN
He came from the suburbs of Brisbane, via Aspley SHS and St Joseph’s Gregory Terrace, to win five consecutive 500cc World Championships. Who can forget the late night nights watching Doohan’s bravery in pursuit of sporting excellence?
EMMA McKEON
The Michael Bohl-coached McKeon claimed four gold medals and three bronze at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Her seven medals were the most by any female swimmer at a single Olympic. Take your pic as to which was the most memorable. After all, you have plenty to choose from.
KARRIE WEBB
Australia’s greatest female golfer was unmatched for three years between 2000 and 2002 when she claimed back-to-back US Women’s Opens and the British Open. She is simply an extraordinary sportswoman. Golfing lovers, take your pick from her many fabulous moments - and there are plenty.
MICHELLE MARTIN
The great Michelle Martin was ranked the number one squad player in the world in 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 1999. From Everton Park SHS, Martin also won three World Open titles and six British Open titles. So squash lovers, take your pick out of that lot as to what was most memorable?
PAT RAFTER
Rafter’s back-to-back US Open tennis wins in 1997 and 1998 live in the memory of those who witnessed it. The magnitude of Rafter’s ‘97 victory is put into perspective when you consider he was the first non-American to win the title since Stefan Edberg in 1992. After Rafter’s retirement, Queenslanders also rose to acclaim Sam Stosur’s remarkable achievement of winning the 2011 US Open.
MITCHELL JOHNSON
Townsville-born Johnson evoked memories of the 1970s assault by Dennis Lillee, Jeff Thomson (both 1974-75) and Rod Hogg (1978-79) on the English when, in the 2013-14 Ashes Series, he claimed 37 wickets at an average of 13.97 with the most explosive fast bowling by an Australian in 40 years.
COURTNEY HANCOCK
Those who witnessed the Surfers Paradise SLSC great pushing to a fourth Coolangatta Gold win late last year say the moment will live in the memory. If the sport had retained its profile from the Grant Kenny era, Hancock would be on billboards and television advertisements. But she is a superstar, a legend of the Australian Ironwoman circuit who generated a “I remember where I was’’ moment for lovers of the sport.
GLEN BOSS
Caboolture-born Boss is a legend of the track who entered folklore by riding Makybe Diva to victory in three consecutive Melbourne Cups - 2003, 2004 and 2005. Boss also endeared himself to punters by being the successful jockey in four Cox Plates. Side note: Queensland’s Chris Munce also won a Melbourne Cup and a Cox Plate.
STUART LAW
Queensland cricket supporters waited 69 seasons to see the Bulls drought breaking Sheffield Shield victory over South Australia in March, 1994-95. The Gabba, with a ground capacity at the time of around 17,000, was packed every day - while an army of fans listened in around the state. The captain that day was Stuart Law, a kid from Trouts Rd, Everton Park, who lived out a childhood dream, while John Buchanan - in his first senior coaching appointment - was coach. Carl Rackemann hurling the winning catch high into the air will never be forgotten.
CAMERON SMITH
Cameron Smith was a member of a remarkable 11 winning State of Origin series campaigns. But arguably the greatest triumph was his last appearance for Queensland in 2017. Queensland were written off, Smith was written off. Yet Smith, a Marsden SHS alumni and Logan Brothers junior, produced a masterclass performance to take Queensland to yet another underdog victory.
MATTHEW HAYDEN
Matt the Bat’s blitzing of the English bowlers at the start of the 2002-03 Ashes Series remains one of the great sporting performances by a Queenslander. Hayden’s twin centuries - 197 and 103 - was a hammer blow to England’s chances and set the mood for the series. Hayden’s 187 not out on day one remains one of the most dominant innings by an Australian in an Ashes Series.
SUSIE O’NEILL
She was Madam Butterfly and a butterfly world record holder, but ironically it was her 200m freestyle which brought the house down at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was expected to win the 200m butterfly - she was second - and not expected to win the 200m freestyle - but she did. What a night it was.
HAYLEY LEWIS
Lewis was a 1991 world championship gold medallist and both an Olympic silver and bronze medallist. Yet her six medals at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games were particularly memorable because the Australian sporting public were craving success after just 14 medals at the 1988 Seoul Olympics. With effort on effort, Lewis never let the Australian sporting public down after bursting onto the scene with those five gold and one bronze medals in 1990.
JOANNA STONE
You know you have left an indelible mark when you have a sporting Shield named after you. And so it is with Joanna Stone Shield which is presented each year by Queensland Athletics in honour of Stone whose silver medal winning effort at the 1997 world championships came like a bolt out of the blue.
Also note Ashley Moloney’s bronze medal winning effort at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games - Australia’s first ever Olympic decathlon medal. Now that was a heart-stopping, memorable moment for a kid who grew up in Regent’s Park and learned his craft at Jimboomba Little Athletics before attending Brisbane Boys College where he was a track and field superstar.
TIM HORAN
Queensland rugby followers should Youtube Tim Horan’s 1992 try in the clash with NSW at Concord Oval. Pre-knee injury, Horan displayed the speed of a blazing comet to chase down a kick and score. We named Horan Queensland rugby’s No. 3 in a best ever rugby series last year.
MICHAEL VOSS
The Lions’ roar can be heard around the Gabba again as Brisbane enjoy an AFL resurgence. But will it ever reach the fever pitch of 2001, 2002 and 2003 when the great Michael Voss captained the Brisbane Lions to three premierships (2001–2003)? Memorable indeed.
ANDREW SLACK
One of the gentleman of Queensland sport, Slack’s was part of three “remember where you were’’ moments during a glittering career. You would have needed to be a night owl, but remember the summer of 1984 when Slack led the Wallabies to a first ever Grand Slam clean sweep? Old rugby purists will recall Slack playing outside centre in Queensland’s generation defining 42-4 flogging of NSW in 1976. And of course Slack captained Australia to the 1986 Bledisloe Cup series win. It is hard to forget any of those milestone moments.
WALLY LEWIS
Lewis’ was the King of Lang Park and the King of State of Origin between 1980 and 1991 - winning nine of 12 series. But one of the great memories involving Lewis came in a loss. Remember when he stood up to NSW enforcer Mark Geyer on halftime despite Geyer towering over him? It was one of the great captaincy performances and inspired Queensland to rebound in the second half - and go within 60 seconds of winning the match.
HENRIQUE
Football in this city was at fever pitch on numerous occasions when the Brisbane Roar were at the peak of their powers, but the 2014 grand final, extra time decider against the Wanderers was one of the best. And of course it was a crowd favourite, Henrique Silva, who sealed the match in the 108th minute. Henrique, who slotted home the winning shootout penalty in the Roar’s first grand final win back in 2011, was the hero again.
What’s your favourite? Comment below about your favourite memory.
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