Ballarat has a long Olympic Games tradition.
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Ballarat became an Olympic city in 1956 when Lake Wendouree was the venue for rowing and canoeing for the Melbourne Olympic Games.
And the city has had many Olympic athletes in a wide variety of sports.
Ballarat continues this tradition at the Tokyo Olympics with homegrown competitors and strong connections to others.
KATHRYN MITCHELL
Athletics
Age: 39
Home: Ballarat
Event: javelin throw
Third Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2012 London Olympic Games
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games
World Track and Field Championships
4 Commonwealth Games
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal (set Australian and Games record 68.92m)
2019 Athletics Australia female athlete of the year
3-time national champion
IN SUMMARY
Mitchell grew up at Casterton in Western Victoria and relocated to Ballarat in her teens to develop her javelin throwing, attending Ballarat High School and joining Eureka Athletic Club.
She continues to live in Ballarat and remains a Eureka member.
Mitchell's resilience has enabled her to become a highly respected athlete on the world stage as a three-time Olympian, and role model for many.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 3: qualification, group A 10.20am (AEST), group B 11.50am.
Friday, August 6: final, 9.50pm.
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KYRA COONEY-CROSS
Football
Age: 19
Home: Victoria
Event: Matildas player
Ballarat connection: lived and played in Ballarat as junior in 2013-2016.
Olympic Games debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
2017 Asian Under-16 Cup qualifiers
2018 W-League debut with Melbourne Victory
2021 Matildas debut
IN SUMMARY
Cooney-Cross spent a few years living in Ballarat after relocating with family from the Northern Territory.
She played Ballarat Lady Devils before moving to Geelong, and playing for the Victorian under-15 side in the National Youth Championships.
Eureka Strikers invited her to play in an exhibition match against W-League side Melbourne City in 2015.
Cooney-Cross began her international career at under-16 level and has played with W-League clubs Melbourne Victory and Western Sydney.
SCHEDULE
Wednesday, July 21: pool match, Australia v New Zealand, 9.30pm (AEST).
Saturday, July 24: pool match, Australia v Sweden, 6.30pm.
Tuesday, July 27: pool match, Australia v United States, 6pm.
Friday, July 30: quarter finals, 6pm-9m session.
Monday, August 2: semi-finals, 6pm-9pm session.
Thursday, August 5: bronze medal play-off, 6pm.
Friday, August 6: gold medal play-off, noon.
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KATRINA WERRY
Rowing
Age: 27
Home: Ballarat
Event: eight
Olympic Games debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
2015 world junior coxless pair bronze medal
2017 world coxless four champion
2018 world coxless four silver medal
2019 world coxless four champion
3-time national eight champion (Queen's Cup)
IN SUMMARY
Growing up in Ballarat, Werry rowed for Ballarat Clarendon College and tasted success in the Ballarat Head of Lake.
She was selected to represent Victoria in 2012 and became a regular at national interstate regattas.
Werry debuted for Australia in an eight in the 2014 world under-23 championships and stepped up to the senior squad in 2017.
She joins 2016 Rio Olympians Genevieve Horton, Molly Goodman and Olympia Aldersey, and other debutantes Sarah Hawe, Georgie Rowe, Bronwyn Cox, Giorgia Patten and coxs James Rook in the crew.
SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 25: heats, 10am-12.40pm (AEST) session.
Wednesday, July 28: repechage, 9.30am-12.40pm session.
Friday, July 30: final, 9.45am-11.55am session.
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LUCY STEPHAN
Rowing
Age: 29
Home: Nhill
Event: coxless four
Ballarat connection: attended Ballarat Grammar School and rowed in head of the lake.
Second Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2012 world under-23 coxless four silver medal
2013 world under-23 coxless four bronze medal
2017 world coxless four champion
2018 world coxless four silver medal
2019 world coxless four champion
IN SUMMARY
Cut her teeth in the sport in the strong rowing community at Ballarat Grammar School.
Stephan has shared a great deal of success with Ballarat's Katrina Werry - including a world championship - but the duo part ways for Tokyo.
They were members of the 2017 Australian female crew of the year.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, July 24: heats, 12.50pm (AEST).
Monday, July 26: repechage, noon.
Wednesday, July 28: final, 10.50am.
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STEWART McSWEYN
Athletics
Age: 26
Home: King Island
Event: 1500m
Ballarat connection: attended Ballarat Clarendon College and ran with Eureka Athletic Club
Olympics debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
2017 World Track and Field Championships
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games
2019 World Track and Field Championships
3-time national 10,000m champion
IN SUMMARY
There was not much of the slightly built McSweyn when he arrived in Ballarat as a schoolboy about a decade ago, but did not take long to establish himself as talented young middle distance runner.
He developed over the years while at Ballarat Clarendon College, being able to train alongside and be mentored by a rich distance running community in the city.
McSweyn focused on steeplechasing early, but has developed into one of Australia's all-time middle distance greats and a genuine world class athlete.
He is the fastest ever Australian at 10,000m and second fastest at 1500m, 3000m and 5000m.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, August 3: heats, 10.05pm.
Thursday, August 5: semi-finals, 9pm.
Saturday, August 7, final, 9.40pm.
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BRETT ROBINSON
Athletics
Age: 30
Home: Canberra
Event: marathon
Ballarat connection: relocated to Ballarat in early 2010s to training with likes of Collis Birmingham, joining Eureka Athletic Club.
Second Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games
World Track and Field Championships (junior and open)
World Cross Country Championships (junior and open)
World Indoor Athletic Championships
Multiple national 10,000m championships
IN SUMMARY
Robinson took the opportunity about a decade ago to join a distance running training hub in Ballarat known as the "Ballarat Project" at the invitation of Ryan Gregson, who had also made the move, for a few years.
"I thought I'm going to move down, I think this is going to be the best thing for me. So for two years, I had the opportunity to live with two of the best runners in Australia."
He has represented Australia at varying distances, including 1500m, 3000m, 5000m and cross country, and now graduates to the marathon.
SCHEDULE
Sunday, August 8: 8am
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JOSH COWARD
Rugby sevens
Age: 24
Home: New South Wales
Event: Australian team member
Ballarat connection: attended St Patrick's College
Olympic Games debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
Youth Commonwealth Games silver medal
Represented Australia in World Rugby Sevens
IN SUMMARY
Coward was a Year 12 student at St Pat's in Ballarat in 2015, captaining the college's rugby team.
He quickly progressed, being selected in the 2016 Melbourne Rebels under-20 squad, having gone through the Super Rugby club's under-17 program.
He made his World Rugby Sevens debut for Australia against Wales in New Zealand in January, 2019.
Coward earned selection for the Olympics in qualifying games in Fiji during the Oceania Sevens Championship in December, 2019.
SCHEDULE
Monday, July 26: pool match, Australia v Argentina, 11.30am (AEST).
Monday, July 26: pool match, Australia v Republic of Korea, 7pm.
Tuesday, July 27: pool match, Australia v New Zealand, 11.30m.
Tuesday, July 27: classification matches, 5.30pm-8pm session.
Wednesday, July 28: classification matches/finals, 10am-1pm session.
Wednesday, July 28: classification matches/medal matches, 5.30pm-7.30pm session.
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LUCAS HAMILTON
Cycling
Age: 25
Home: Ararat
Event: road race
Ballarat connection: attended Ballarat Clarendon College
Olympic Games debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
2014 Oceania and national junior road race champion
2016 world under-19 road race championship
2016 Tour de l'Avenir
2017 signed with Australian WorldTour team Mitchelton-SCOTT
2017 Tour Alsace (France) winner
2018 world road race championships
Winner of stages in WorldTour events
IN SUMMARY
A late call up for Tokyo and has since overcome the setback of a fall in the Tour de France to make it to the Olympics.
The Ararat and District Cycling Club member has ridden his way through the grades, first being selected to represent Australia as a teenager in 2016.
He has risen to the top of the sport as a professional rider on the WorldTour, riding in two Giro d'Italia and Tour de France this year.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, July 24: noon
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BRIAN GOORJIAN
Basketball
Age:67
Home: Sydney
Event: Australian Boomers coach
Ballarat connection: first coach of Ballarat Miners
Third Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2004 Athens Olympic Games - Boomers coach
2008 Beijing Olympic Games - Boomers coach
NBL coach 1988-2009 and 2020-21
6-time NBL championship coach
2009-2019 various coaching roles in China
IN SUMMARY
Leading Ballarat Miners in the South East Australian Basketball League was Goorjian's first head coaching role in late 1980s.
He moved from the US to play with Melbourne Tigers.
He was an assistant coach at Geelong Supercats before taking on the Ballarat role.
Goorjian has gone to legendary status in the NBL and Australian basketball.
This is his second stint as Boomers head coach.
SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 25: pool game, Australia v Nigeria, 6.20pm (AEST).
Wednesday, July 28: pool game, Australia v Italy, 6.20pm.
Saturday, July 31: pool game, Australia v Germany, 6.20pm.
Tuesday, August 3: quarter finals, 11am-10pm session.
Thursday, August 5: semi-finals, 2.15pm-9pm session.
Saturday, August 7: gold medal play-off, 12.30pm; bronze medal play-off, 9pm.
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NATHAN SOBEY
Basketball
Age: 31
Home: Warrnambool
Event: Australian Boomers player
Ballarat connection: attended St Patrick's College and has played with Ballarat Miners
Olympic Games debut
ACHIEVEMENTS
2014 NBL debut
2017 NBL most improved player
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal
2019 FIBA World Cup
2021 All-NBL first team
IN SUMMARY
Sobey spent time playing college basketball in the United States before making his way back home to Australia and to Ballarat, where he spent time as a secondary school student.
He used a stint with the Miners in the South East Australian Basketball League in 2014 as a launching pad to a professional playing career in the NBL.
He joined Cairns Taipans and has gone of to play with Adelaide 36ers and now the Brisbane Bullets.
Sobey has retained close ties with his hometown, playing on and off with Warrnambool Seahawks in the Big V.
SCHEDULE
Sunday, July 25: pool game, Australia v Nigeria, 6.20pm (AEST).
Wednesday, July 28: pool game, Australia v Italy, 6.20pm.
Saturday, July 31: pool game, Australia v Germany, 6.20pm.
Tuesday, August 3: quarter finals, 11am-10pm session.
Thursday, August 5: semi-finals, 2.15pm-9pm session.
Saturday, August 7: gold medal play-off, 12.30pm; bronze medal play-off, 9pm.
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CAYLA GEORGE
Basketball
Age: 32
Home: Melbourne
Ballarat connection: played with Ballarat Lady Miners
Event: Ballarat Opals player
Second Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2005 WBNL debut with AIS
2007 WBNL rookie of the year
2014 World Cup bronze medal
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal
2018 World Cup silver medal
2-time All-WNBL first team in 2015 and 2020
3-time NBL champion
IN SUMMARY
George (nee Francis) played with Ballarat Lady Miners in the South East Australian Basketball League in 2009.
She had a stand-out season, winning the team's most valuable player award.
Her WNBL career has included time with Adelaide in her home state, Logan, Townsville and Melbourne.
George has also played in the WNBA and in Europe.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 27: pool game, Australia v Belgium, 6.20pm (AEST).
Friday, July 30: pool game, Australia v China, 10pm.
Monday, August 2: pool game, Australia v Puerto Rico, 10pm.
Wednesday, August 4: quarter finals, 11am-10pm session.
Friday, August 6: semi-finals, 2.40pm-9pm session.
Saturday, August 7: bronze medal play-off, 5pm.
Sunday, August 8: gold medal play-off, 12.30pm.
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TESSA LAVEY
Basketball
Age: 28
Home: Swan Hill
Events: Australian Opals player
Ballarat connection: lived in Ballarat for short time as a youngster
Second Olympic Games
ACHIEVEMENTS
2009 WNBL debut with AIS
2014 FIBA World Cup bronze medal
2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games
2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games gold medal
2018 FIBA World Cup silver medal
2-time WNBL championship player
IN SUMMARY
Lavey lived in Ballarat growing as her family moved around country Victoria, playing basketball with Phoenix at under-14 level.
She also lived in Swan Hill, Hamilton and Bendigo.
Lavey was identified as a talent as a teenager, making her debut for Australiain the FIBA Oceania Under-16 Championships and went to play in the world under-17 titles.
She began her WNBL career with the AIS and has gone to play with Canberra, Bendigo - playing in championship teams with Spirit in 2013 and 2014 - Perth, Dandenong and again with Bendigo.
SCHEDULE
Tuesday, July 27: pool game, Australia v Belgium, 6.20pm (AEST).
Friday, July 30: pool game, Australia v China, 10pm.
Monday, August 2: pool game, Australia v Puerto Rico, 10pm.
Wednesday, August 4: quarter finals, 11am-10pm session.
Friday, August 6: semi-finals, 2.40pm-9pm session.
Saturday, August 7: bronze medal play-off, 5pm.
Sunday, August 8: gold medal play-off, 12.30pm.
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