TENNIS: Three time Olympian and bronze medallist, Alicia Molik, will lead Australia’s Tennis players at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Molik has been named as a Team Leader, a role Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller believes is perfect for Molik because of her Games’ experience and passion for the Olympic Movement.
“Alicia is a great fit for the Australian Olympic Team culture. She has a strong Olympic connection and is very well regarded as a real team player,” she said. “She’s the ideal person to lead our fantastic new batch of talented players into the Games.”
Molik claimed Australia’s first Olympic medal in singles Tennis, with bronze at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.
In the same year, she broke into the world’s top 10, as well as reaching the Wimbledon and US Open mixed doubles finals, partnering Australian doubles legend Todd Woodbridge.
She says it’s an honour to be a part of the Olympic experience again.
“I’ve always felt privileged to be involved at the Games, and I believe I’ll be able to help our nations’ up and coming players.”
“In Tennis it’s not often you’re part of a wider team so it will be very exciting for our crop of junior and senior players to be able to support their fellow Australians.
“They’ll be able to learn a lot from other athletes and be able to get out and cheer on their teammates.”
Molik’s appointment brings the number of Team Leaders identified for the Rio Team to 26, with around half a dozen roles still to be finalised.
Chiller explains the Team Leader position will help prepare the Australian Team for success.
“Not only will the Team Leaders be responsible for the performance of the sport, but they’ll also ensure that all athletes understand and respect the honour it is to be an Australian Olympian."
Rio 2016 – Australian Team Leaders (to date)
Basketball (men) - Jonathan Grady
Basketball (women) - Tamara Sheppard
Canoe/Kayak - Richard Fox
Cycling - Kevin Tabotta
Diving - Graeme Rose
Equestrian - Chris Webb
Golf - Ian Baker-Finch
Gymnastics - Adam Sachs
Hockey - Trish Heberle
Rowing - Chris O’Brien
Rugby sevens (men’s) - Luca Liussi
Rugby sevens (women’s) - Scott Bowen
Sailing - Peter Conde
Shooting - Tim Mahon
Swimming - Michael Scott
Tennis – Alicia Molik
Track & field - Simon Nathan
Triathlon - Bernard Savage
TENNIS: Alicia Molik
Alicia Molik reached a career high singles rank of world no.8 and a career high doubles rank of world no.6.
Molik made her Olympic debut in front of a home crowd at the 2000 Sydney Games.
She went on to represent Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics where she claimed the country’s first singles Tennis medal.
At the Athens Games, Molik finished behind Justine Henin-Hardenne of Belgium (gold) and Amélie Mauresmo of France (silver). In the playoff for third, Molik defeated the reigning French Open champion in Anastasya Myskina of Russia. Beijing 2008 was her third consecutive Games.
The right-hander was a veteran of the Australian Federation Cup team, with stints between 1999-2004, 2006-08 and 2010.
Molik claimed her first Grand Slam doubles title in 2005, partnering Svetlana Kuznetsova at the Australian Open.
She claimed her second doubles title at the 2007 French Open, partnering Mara Santangelo.
Molik retired in September 2008 following elbow ligament damage, but launched a comeback 12 months later.
She retired again in 2012.
