Australians Greatest Sporting Achievement

Sally Pearson winning the 2012 Olympics, Pat Rafter winning the US Open x 2 and Torah bright winning the Winter Olympics could be added.

It's hard to pick just one.

Layne won six world titles? That's better than any other Aussie I can think of in any particular sport....?

No brainer for me - Americas Cup.
Sorry I don't rate Freeman's gold.
I rate 4 x 100 mens relay at Sydney 2000 Olympics well above Freemans.

Edit: Bradbury's was the funniest.

nice ones Ashton19
DunkO your on the money. How did i miss that..
Lionel Rose is another ripper.

Heather Macky
Betty Cuthburt

Phar

Scott mckercher 99 world champ!

Kai bates, 2014-2024 sup wave champ.....you'll see.

1977 centenary test. Dennis Lillee 11 wickets for the match. Marsh calling back randall after being wrongly given out by the umpire, Marsh scoring the first century by a wicketkeeper. Hooks on debut hitting 5 consecutive boundaries to reach 50, McCocsker coming out to bat in the second innings with a bandaged shattered jaw, and the winning margin of 45 runs, the same as that of the first test played between australia and england 100 years before.

Rod Laver

6. America's Cup victory, 1983

Australians have never been as excited about yachting as when John Bertrand steered Australia II across the line in 1983 to wrest the America's Cup from the United States' grip for the first time in 132 years. However, Australia II's success owed as much to the engineering feats of Ben Lexcen as to Bertrand's skill. The fact that landlocked Switzerland has dominated recent editions also supports the theory that America's Cup success depends more on money and technical skill than sporting ability. A wonderful achievement, but not the greatest.

5. Pat Cash, Wimbledon, 1987

The mid-1980s marked one of the strongest eras of men's tennis with Ivan Lendl, Stefan Edberg, Boris Becker, Mats Wilander, John McEnroe and Jimmy Connors at or near the peak of their powers. The enigmatic Cash wasn't quite at the same level but on his day - and especially on grass - his serve-volley game could trouble them all.

It all came together for the Australian at Wimbledon in 1987, where he beat Paul McNamee and rising Frenchman Guy Forget en route to the quarter-finals. From there, Cash began a stunning run that reaped straight-sets wins against third seed Wilander, seventh seed Connors and second seed Lendl to claim the title. His exuberant climb into the stands to celebrate with his supporters remains an enduring image of his success.

4. Herb Elliott, Olympic 1500m gold, 1960

Long before the Africans' dominance of distance running, Australia had a proud history in the middle-distance events and none was greater than Elliott. His crowning glory came at the Rome Olympics where he entered the 1500m as world record holder and an overwhelming favourite having won his past 44 races. Unlike many who succumbed to the burden of pressure, Elliott produced his greatest performance, breaking his own world mark by almost half a second. The sheer dominance of Elliott's win elevates it to the highest echelon of Australian sporting achievement.

3. Rod Laver, tennis Grand Slam, 1969

Laver had already staked his claim to fame by winning all four major tournaments in 1962 as an amateur. However, his repeat performance in 1969, as the sport embarked on its open era that allowed professionals and amateurs to compete together, was a far greater achievement. He defeated the likes of John Newcombe, Tony Roche, Ken Rosewall, Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle and Arthur Ashe throughout the four slams.

Accordingly, Laver was unanimously recognised as the sport's greatest player - an accolade that heir apparent Roger Federer remains happy to concede. The depth of talent in the modern game far outstrips that of the Laver era but the Australian champ is still the only player to have won the Grand Slam twice, and the only player to do it in the Open era.

2. Cathy Freeman, Olympic 400m gold, 2000

Even the hype surrounding the America's Cup challenge paled into comparison next to the pressure that weighed on Freeman's shoulders as she prepared for the Sydney Olympics. A two-time world champion over the distance, Freeman was favoured to win the 400m athletics gold medal in front of her home crowd in Sydney.

The withdrawal of French rival Marie-Jose Perec before the Games heightened expectations, as did Freeman's honour of lighting the flame at the opening ceremony. Undeterred, Cathy did herself proud with a dominant performance before a frenzied crowd. The combination of athletics' global popularity and the pressure of the hometown Olympics meant Freeman's performance was Australia's best - until now.

1. Cadel Evans, Tour de France, 2011

Twenty-one days, 3430 kilometres and 23 high mountain passes - the 2011 Tour de France route was one of the toughest in the race's 98 editions. And Cadel Evans' feat of winning the overall classification without significant help from his teammates at the race's most crucial moments is the greatest achievement in Australian sporting history.

Even better, Evans' ability to produce his best in times of crisis resonated with the nation's love of an underdog: the gritty pursuit of a runaway Andy Schleck up the Col du Galibier; his frantic chase of the peloton after a mechanical incident the following day and the subsequent attacks on his rivals on Alpe-d'Huez; his dominance in the individual time trial that eventually earned the yellow jersey on the penultimate stage.

Road cycling isn't as ubiquitous as athletics but the sport's popularity throughout Europe and the US means there is more than enough depth. The sheer physical demands of the Tour de France make it the toughest single race in the world, which more than compensates for any perceived lack of competition relative to other sports. As such, it is difficult to argue against Evans' Tour victory as the pinnacle of Australian sporting achievement.

Honourable mentions

Kieren Perkins' underdog win in the 1500m freestyle in the 1996 Olympics; Evonne Goolagong Cawley winning Wimbledon for the second time in 1980; Betty Cuthbert's triple gold medal haul at the 1956 Olympics, Dawn Fraser's three successive Olympic gold medals in the 100m freestyle.

I jut google heather..... Wow.

She only lost two matches in her whole career and unbeaten for 19 years!

Shorley that has to be the most dominating performance of any one in any sport.....?

Tennis - Margaret Court achieved just as much as Rod Laver.