The donation will go directly to ensuring Australia’s athletes have the highest quality medical support, physiotherapy, recovery, welfare, logistical and other support.

AOC Chief Executive Officer Matt Carroll says the generosity of the ACT Government is appreciated by Olympians.

“We are hoping to send potentially the biggest Olympic Team to leave our shore. Depending on qualification, we could reach a Team of 490 athletes and maybe more, which shows the incredible support for Olympic sports in Australia.

“Athletes work extremely hard for many years to earn the right to represent their country. Our job is to ensure we give them the best support so they can do their best.“

Mr Carroll was speaking at an Olympics Unleashed school visit to Macquarie Primary School in the ACT this morning.

Olympics Unleashed, presented by Optus, has been enthusiastically embraced by ACT primary and secondary schools since it was launched in August last year, thanks to the support of the ACT Government.

The program has seen athletes visit 35 schools and speak to 6,000 students to date. Today’s aspiring archer Astin Darcy spoke to the students.

Athletes have been delivering messages around self-awareness, motivation and goal-setting to students as well as the benefits of an active and healthy lifestyle.

“The ACT community loves its sport so our partnership with the ACT is a natural fit,” Mr Carroll said.

“Olympians offer something special that goes beyond sport. More than 100 Olympians have offered to assist in rebuilding community spirit in fire-affected areas on the eastern seaboard. Olympians certainly believe in giving back.

ACT Deputy Chief Minister and Minister for Education and Sport Yvette Berry MLA said “The ACT Government has supported the past three Olympic and Paralympic Games in Beijing, London and Rio, and it is great to be supporting the 2020 Tokyo Games.

“The ACT Government is donating $200,000 across the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia 2020 Tokyo Team Appeals, as well as providing $100,000 in training grants for eligible ACT athletes.

“Canberra has a unique status as the home of elite sport through the Australian Institute of Sport at Bruce and the ACT Academy of Sport. Canberrans have a close relationship to elite athletes here because they’re so accessible to the community through school programs and as neighbours around town and that’s why the government is committed to supporting them through this funding,” Ms Berry concluded.

The ACT corporate community is also supporting the Team Appeal with a fundraising dinner on May 9th. The Team Appeal Gala Dinner at the Hyatt Hotel in Canberra hopes to raise $250,000 according to ACT Team Appeal Chair Paul Powderly.

“The ACT Corporate community have been great supporters of Charity and sporting events over the last 10 years, and we are confident that the team appeal for Tokyo will be no different Support has been strong – across the board we hope to raise $500,000 for our athletes,” Mr Powderly said.