Michelle's Story
After making her Olympic debut in 1980, Michelle Pearson waited another Olympiad before winning a medal. Pearson’s sole Olympic medal came in the 1984 women’s 200m individual medley, winning bronze. However, Pearson was one of Australia’s most outstanding swimmers at the Los Angeles Games, reaching four finals during the week of competition.
As well as the 200m individual medley, Pearson also reached the finals of the 100m freestyle, placing fifth, the 200m freestyle, placing fourth, and the 4x100m freestyle relay, also placing fourth. Four years earlier in Moscow, the 18-year-old had finished 13th in the 100m freestyle and helped Australia place fifth in the 4x100m freestyle relay. She became one of the first athletes to join the Australian Institute of Sport in 1981.
Pearson won silver in the 400m individual medley and bronze in the 200m individual medley at the Brisbane 1982 Commonwealth Games. She later collected four medals at the inaugural Pan Pacific Championships in 1985, including gold in the 200m individual medley. Pearson completed her Commonwealth Games career with gold in the 4x200m freestyle relay at Edinburgh in 1986 and was later inducted into the Australian Institute of Sport Hall of Fame.
