Nine-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Petria Thomas OAM will lead the Australian team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, becoming Australia’s first female Commonwealth Games team Chef de Mission.

Birmingham will be the eighth Commonwealth Games appearance for Thomas, after a decorated career as an athlete that saw her win three consecutive gold medals in her pet 100m butterfly event.  Post her swimming career she has served at the past four Games as part of the Australian team headquarters staff.

At her most recent Games on the Gold Coast, the 43-year-old served as a deputy to Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti, who has signed off after three stints as team boss.

Thomas’s appointment as team Chef de Mission for Birmingham follows three Games as Athlete Services Manager and her Gold Coast role as General Manager of Team Services. Thomas has also led the Australian team at three editions of the Commonwealth Youth Games.

During a representative swimming career that spanned eight years and three Commonwealth Games, Petria Thomas captured nine Commonwealth Games, three Olympic and three world championship gold medals.

Her tally of eight Olympic medals (three gold, four silver, one bronze) is equal with two other Commonwealth Games legends, Dawn Fraser and Susie O’Neill, as the best by an Australian woman.  She was Australian swim team captain from 2001-2004, was three times crowned AIS Athlete of the Year (2001, 2002 and 2004), won the 2004 ‘The Don’ Award and was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2007.

Thomas said she was honoured to be appointed the leader of the Australian team.

“I’ve had the privilege to work alongside and learn from Mona at the last three Games and will take the learnings from this experience into the role. Steve leaves some big shoes to fill and whilst I will strive to fill those shoes, I will draw on my own experience and skills to forge my own path as team leader,” Thomas said.

“The Commonwealth Games provided me with the moment that made me realise that I was good enough to compete on the world stage. This was a priceless life-changing moment and I’m sure if you asked other Commonwealth Games athletes, they would share their own individual stories of how the Commonwealth Games have positively influenced their life.”

“This experience has shown me that the Commonwealth Games provide a wonderful opportunity for athletes to showcase themselves, their talent and their Aussie spirit and pride to the world.”

“I want to lead a team that builds on the legacy and success of past teams, particularly Gold Coast 2018, and be a driver of efforts to create a performance focus and positive experience for our Birmingham 2022 Team,” Thomas said.

To be staged from 27th July to 7th August 2022, the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games will feature 19 sports across 12 days of sporting and cultural festivities.

 

The NSW Institute of Sport had an outstanding Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, contributing to 25% of  medals won by the Australian team on the Gold Coast.

Athletes from NSWIS contributed to 22 gold, 16 silver, and nine bronze towards Australia’s ultimate medal tally of 80 gold, 59 silver and 59 bronze. 44 of the 87 athletes selected from the NSW Institute of Sport were debutants, experiencing their first Commonwealth Games on home soil. NSWIS athletes were a part of six Commonwealth Games records, including Dani Stevens mammoth throw of 68.26m in the women’s discus.

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