Natalie Cook OAM
Website Natalie Cook

Natalie Cook OAM

Olympic Beach Volleyball Gold

Natalie Cook sensationally won Olympic Gold in front of her hometown crowd at the Sydney 2000 Games and is the first Australian women to compete at 5 Olympic Games!

Natalie first started playing beach volleyball in 1993 and turned professional just one year later. She has shared many of her career magic moments with Kerri Pottharst, including three 2001 World Tour podiums and four 4th places. Not bad for a season that could have been an anticlimax after snatching the Olympic Gold with partner Kerri Pottharst in front of a home crowd at Bondi Beach, Sydney 2000.  

Shortly after the 2000 Olympics, Kerri Pottharst retired from the sport however Natalie went on to compete in another 3 Olympic Games (one with partner, Nicole Sanderson, and two with Tamsin Hinchley) before retiring after the 2012 London Olympic Games.

Natalie has become the first Australian woman to compete at five Olympic Games: 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, 2004 Athens, 2008 Beijing and 2012 London Games. Few athletes can boast of even coming close to this incredible achievement.

Since retiring, Natalie has written a book, become a proud mum and wife, and an international award-winning wellness coach. She was part of the successful team who lobbied to get Beach Volleyball into the 2018 Commonwealth Games for the first time ever and is currently lobbying for the 2032 Olympic Games in Brisbane, Queensland.

 

Natalie's contribution to the sport of volleyball has been recognised at both a National and International level. She was named as Recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia following her triumph at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. She was also honoured by the Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (Volleyball's International governing body) when she was named as a member of their 'Team of the Decade'. She continues to give back to the sport she loves in a public role, having previously held office as Queensland Olympic Council President. In October 2015, Nat was appointed to the World Olympian's Association Board as the Oceania Region's representative.

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