With two years to go until the Opening Ceremony at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, the Premier of NSW, launched the NSW Fundraising Appeal for the Australian Olympic Team Fund 2008, donating a cheque for $500,000.

The Premier noted, “To maintain a level playing field, we must keep backing our athletes with the best equipped training and study environments and the professional coaching staff needed to nurture them.

Australia has a wonderful Olympic heritage. It’s our job to see that our squad members in Beijing have the chance to add their own chapter.”

NSW athletes have a proud history of competing at the Olympic Games since 1900.  At the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, NSW comprised 31%, or 149 of 482 athletes in the Australian Team.

The Australian Olympic Committee expects to send a team of over 500 athletes to Beijing in 2008.

The function, on 8 August, was hosted by the Premier, and attended by NSW sports, the NSW Fundraising Committee for Beijing 2008, and many Olympians.

Olympian Alexandra Croak responded on behalf of all athletes aiming for selection in the 2008 team.

“The goal of Beijing is a very real one and dominates our lives as athletes” Croak, a former gymnast form Sydney 2000 is now an Australian representative in diving.

“It is great to highlight these milestone days. As there are only two years to go now, our focus starts to become narrower. Two years may sound like a long time to many people, but in the life of an athlete it will come around very quickly”.

This is the third successive Olympic appeal in which the NSW State Government has contributed $500,000 to the Australian Olympic Team Fund.

The Chairman of the NSW Fundraising Committee, Mr John Conde AO, accepted the cheque for the Team Fund, which officially launched the fundraising appeal.

“All of us involved with the 2008 Australian Olympic Team Fund believe it is extremely important that we continue to support the Australian Olympic Team, and in particular NSW athletes.

To achieve the kind of success we have experienced over Australia’s recent Olympic campaigns, we very much appreciate the contribution from the NSW government and the people of NSW, and consider it vitally important".

The Australian Olympic Team Fund is the official fundraising arm of the Australian Olympic Committee. All funds raised go directly to the preparation and participation of the Australian Olympic Team for Beijing.