Sami Kennedy-Sim

Fast Facts

Sport: Freestyle Skiing
Event: Ski Cross
Olympic History: Sochi 2014, PyeongChang 2018, Beijing 2022
Highlights: World Cup silver medal 2017, 8th at PyeongChang 2018, Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer Beijing 2022
Coach: Shawn Fleming
Year Born: 1988
State Born: NSW

About Sami

Sami Kennedy-Sim began her skiing career in alpine skiing and made the switch to ski cross in 2008. Following her World Cup debut in February 2008, Sami continued to improve and climb the ranks on the World Cup circuit.

After achieving her first World Cup top-10 result in 2011 Sami had a breakout season on the 2011-12 tour, claiming five top-ten results and finishing the tour ranked 11th in the world.

Sami competed in her first World Championships in the following season at Voss, Norway where she placed 16th in a highly competitive women’s field.

As a 24-year-old in 2013 Sami suffered an infarct stroke, which required a five-day hospital stay and subsequent private treatment.

A few months after the stroke, she was fortunately able to slowly return to light training and eventually full-time training. Sami has become an ambassador for the National Stroke Foundation, raising awareness of strokes in young people.

Sami returned to World Cup competition in December 2013 and a month later achieved a personal-best result of fourth place in the Val Thorens World Cup. In February 2014 Sami competed in her debut Olympic Games at Sochi, Russia where she placed 28th in the women’s ski cross.

The talented athlete went on to compete at her second World Championships in 2015, where she finished in 12th place, followed by multiple top-eight finishes during the 2016-17 World Cup season.

All of her hard work and determination truly paid off in February 2017, when she claimed her first World Cup silver medal in Idre Fjall, Sweden. In doing so she joined Belle Brockhoff as the only two Australian women to win a medal in World Cup ski cross.

The Sydneysider went on to compete in her second Olympic Games at PyeongChang 2018, where she narrowly missed a spot in the big final and ultimately finished in 8th place. Sami continued her strong performances throughout the 2018 and 2019 seasons by recording multiple top-ten results, including fifth place at Feldberg, Germany in early 2019.

She started the 2020-21 season on a positive note, claiming a bronze medal and a sixth-place finish at the first World Cup event of the season. This however was followed by the 33-year-old suffering a season-ending injury. It happened during a training session in Val Thorens, France where Sami landed badly and dislocated her elbow.

After undergoing elbow surgery, Sami returned to full-time training at the gym in January 2021 and subsequently returned to on-snow training at Jindabyne.

Her international tour return came in November 2021 at Secret Garden, China where she finished 15th in the World Cup event.

Sami went to Nakiska, Canada to start 2022 in difficult weather conditions at a World Cup double header event and came away with 14th place on day two and 22nd on day one.

The 33-year-old at her third Olympics laid down the 11th fastest time in seeding to progress straight to the 1/8 finals.

Sami won both her 1/8 final and quarter-final to be full of confidence heading into the semi-finals.

After finishing fourth in the semi-final she went into the small final and got a repeat of her best Olympic result from PyeongChang 2018, 8th place.

Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Geoff Lipshut selected Sami to be Australia's Beijing 2022 Closing Ceremony Flag Bearer.

"Sami really deserved this honour. Her commitment and professionalism goes to the heart of what this Team has been about," Mr Lipshut said.

"When Geoff told me I was a bit stunned. But what a way to wrap up my third Games," Sami said.

"It's another top ten performance at an Olympic Games and I am very proud of that."