Territory Olympic hero Leisel Jones snubbed by hometown, declares ‘The NT obviously doesn’t support women in sport’

OLYMPIC legend Leisel Jones says she’s been snubbed her hometown of Katherine

Australian swimmer Liesel Jones who will be competing in her 4th Olympic Games in London. Jones is the first swimmer in the history of Australian swimming to achieve such a record.

OLYMPIC legend Leisel Jones claims she’s been snubbed by her home town of Katherine.

The four-time Olympian and three-time gold medallist posted a photo on Twitter of a road sign on the way into town, which declares it the “Birthplace of Cadel Evans”.

The sign drew an angry ­response from Jones, considered one of Australia’s greatest athletes.

“The NT obviously doesn’t support women in sport. Cheers for the birthplace love!” she tweeted.

She also posted the photo on her Instagram account, where she has more than 12,000 followers.

Jones was born at Katherine Hospital while her father, Les Jones, was working in the NT as a plumber.

Liesel Jones competed in her 4th Olympic Games in London becoming the first swimmer in the history of Australian swimming to achieve such a record. Picture: News Limited

In 2008, Mr Jones recalled the happy times working and living in the NT when Leisel was born.

Some of the earliest photos of Jones are of her bathing in the kitchen sink and bobbing about on a raft in the pool at the family home at Wave Hill, 350km southwest of Katherine.

She lived in the NT until she was about 12 months old.

Jones won her first two Olympic medals at the age of 15, and was the first Australian swimmer to compete at four Olympic Games.

By the time she retired, she had competed in four Olympic Games, and won nine medals.

She was inducted into the Australian Sports Hall of Fame in 2013, when she described her career as a “pretty terrific ride”.

Evans was born in Katherine and moved to New South Wales at the age of nine, before becoming a Tour de France winner, World Champion road cyclist and World Cup champion mountain bike champion.

Cadel Evans became the first Australian to win the Tour de France in 2011. Picture: Nicole Cleary

But at the age of 15, when Jones was bagging medals for her country, Evans was living in the outer suburbs of Melbourne, and spent much of his spare time playing Nintendo and skateboarding.

Evans was 18 when he became a junior world champion mountain biker, later changing to road cycling.

The sign boasting of Evans was reportedly put up following his Tour de France victory in 2011, but Katherine Town Council denied any snub.

Council community services executive manager Sophie Henderson said the council simply “had no idea” Jones was born in Katherine.

“We’re always proud of our sports men and women in Katherine, I think it would be a great idea to put something up celebrating her achievements, now that we know,” she said.

“As far as getting public ­recognition, we’d have to put it to our elected members, but maybe naming something at the pool would be appro­priate.”

Infrastructure Minister Peter Chandler said his department was responsible for the sign, but blamed any snub on Labor.

“The Cadel Evans sign was put up in 2011 under the then Labor government,” he said.

“Sports men and women are our national heroes and the Territory Government absolutely supports women in sport.”