Sydney, Olympic Stadium, 15 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: the hockey player Rechelle HAWKES of Australia takes the Olympic oath. Credit: IOC Olympic Museum Collections/Giulio Locatelli

   Midfielder Rechelle Hawkes joined the Australian national hockey team in 1985. She competed in her first Olympics in 1988 and won the first of her three gold medals as Australia eliminated the favoured Dutch team 3-2 in the semifinals and then beat the home team, South Korea, 2-0 in the final. At the 1992 Barcelona Games, Hawkes experienced the low point of her career when the Australians were upset 1-0 in the preliminaries by the Spanish hosts. As team captain and playmaker, Hawkes led Australia back to the top in Atlanta in 1996. They entered the final with a 38-game unbeaten streak and then faced the same Korean team that had held them to a 3-3 draw in pool play. This time Australia moved ahead early in the second half and went on to win 3-1. At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Hawkes was given the honour of reciting the Athletes' Oath on behalf of all the athletes at the Opening Ceremony. Hawkes and the Hockeyroos got off to a sluggish start, defeating Great Britain 2-1 and being held to a 1-1 tie by Spain. But from then on, the Australians dominated the tournament, winning their remaining six games by a combined score of 22-3. Hawkes retired after the Olympics, having represented her nation in 279 international matches. She is the only female hockey player to earn three medals (much less three gold medals) and the only one to win medals 12 years apart.

Sydney, Olympic Park, August 2000: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia in action against China during a hockey test competition before the Games of the XXVII Olympiad. Credit: Getty Images/Adam Pretty

Sydney, Olympic Park, 29 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia battling with Ayelen STEPNIK of Argentina (n°6) during the hockey final. Australia went on to win the gold medal. Credit: Getty Images/Hamish Blair

Sydney, Olympic Park, 29 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia celebrates a goal scored against Argentina in the hockey final. Australia went on to win the gold medal. Credit: Getty Images/Hamish Blair

Sydney, Olympic Park, August 2000: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia in action against China during a hockey test competition before the Games of the XXVII Olympiad. Credit: Getty Images/Adam Pretty

Sydney, Olympic Park, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia (right) battling with Anabel GAMBERO of Argentina during a preliminary game. Australia went on to win the gold medal. Credit: Getty Images/Hamish Blair

Sydney, Olympic Park, 20 September 2000, Games of the XXVII Olympiad: Rechelle HAWKES of Australia in action during a preliminary game against Argentina. Credit: Getty Images/Hamish Blair

Credit: IOC

For further info., please visit http://www.olympic.org/uk/athletes/profiles/bio_uk.asp?par_i_id=38991.