Dean Butler

1977 –

Dean Butler won a gold medal for Australia in men’s hockey in 2004. The Queensland defender was a member of a Kookaburras team that finally ended Australia’s men’s hockey hoodoo at the Olympics. Since first competing in men’s hockey at the Games in 1956, Australia had won three silver medals, three bronze medals and been placed fourth twice. But the team’s fortunes changed in Athens. The Kookaburras beat Spain 6-3 to reach the final, where it faced two-time defending champion, the Netherlands. With scores tied 1-1 at the end of regulation time, a goal by Jamie Dwyer in the eighth minute of extra time secured the famous victory. Butler represented Australia more than 200 times.