BEACH VOLL: Five-time Olympian Natalie Cook will be officially inducted into the International Volleyball Hall of Fame at a ceremony in Boston.

Cook was the only athlete, male or female, to compete in the first five Olympics after the sport was introduced at the 1996 Atlanta Games. She's also the only Australian woman to have competed at five Olympics.

She teamed up with 2007 Hall of Fame inductee Kerri Pottharst to win gold for Australia in Sydney in 2000 after winning bronze four years earlier. The pair were also named the FIVB Beach Team of the 1990's. 

Cook finished fourth with Nicole Sanderson at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and partnered Tamsin Hinchley at the 2008 and 2012 Olympics. At 21 she was the youngest competitor in the beach volleyball competition in Atlanta, and at 37 she was the oldest competitor in London. 

Townsville-born Cook also has a World Championship silver and bronze medal in her collection, as well as several national titles. 

Earlier this year 38-year-old Cook was voted President of the Queensland Olympic Committee. 

Cook will be officially welcomed into the Hall of Fame at Holyoke, Massachusetts, Saturday morning Australian time. Holyoke is the birthplace of volleyball. 

Joining Cook in this year's intake will be American volleyball player Caren Kemner and Russian volleyballer Vyacheslav Zaytsev.

Ross Solly
Volleyball Australia