SYDNEY: Better use of resources rather than more government funding will help Australia return to the top five Olympic nations, Australia Olympic Committee president John Coates said yesterday.
The AOC has set another top-five target for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics after Australia slipped to 10th in the medals table at last year’s London Games.
“This is not the time for national federations, or the AOC on their behalf, to be going cap in hand to the federal government,” Coates wrote in the AOC’s annual report, released yesterday.
“Our objective again is to finish in the top five nations on the gold and overall medal standings.”
Australia, who also targeted a top-five in London, won seven gold, 16 silver and 12 bronze medals at the Games to finish 10th in the medals table.
They were seventh in terms of overall medals won.
Their swimmers, a traditional strength of the Australian Olympic team, won just one gold medal, six silver and three bronze in London -- their lowest tally in the pool since 1992 in Barcelona.
AFP
