AMBASSADOR PROFILE
Rachael Sporn, OAM
Basketballer
Ambassador,
Athletes for Hope Australia
A former Australian basketball player and three time Olympian, Rachael Sporn is passionate about promoting clean sport.
It was over an incredibly fulfilling 19 years that Rachael Sporn OAM played basketball at the elite level. The most special memories are reserved for her years playing for “The Opals”, the Australian Women’s Basketball Team.
Playing 304 games for her country, Rachael is a triple Olympian, winning bronze in Atlanta in 1996, Silver in Sydney in 2000 and Silver in Athens in 2004.
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One of Australia's most recognisable female basketball players Rachael Sporn is truly respected and admired for her outstanding career. Rachael was one of the stars of Australian Basketball. She was part of a core group of female athletes that stamped the Australian Opals firmly on the psyche of the Australian public in the 1990’s and on the world basketball map.
But is is her work off the court in promoting clean sport that she is passionately promoting now, working with Sport Integrity Australia (formerly ASADA). She has also dedicated her time to working with the Melanoma Research Foundation.
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All athletes need to respect the integrity of sport. Succeed because of your dedication to proper training, nutrition and hard work and celebrate and be proud of competing clean.
- RACHAEL SPORN -
KEY ACHIEVEMENTS
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Sporn played 304 games for the national basketball team, the Opals, including three Olympic Games—two silver medals (2000 and 2004) and a bronze (1996) — and three World Championships (1990, 1994 and 1998).
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Sporn played for Adelaide Lightning in Australia's Women's National Basketball League where she was twice league MVP and seven times selected in the WNBL All-Star Five. She heads the all-time points scoring and rebound list for the WNBL.
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Sporn is a member of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame and the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame.
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She was awarded the Australian Sports Medal in 2000 and the Centenary Medal in 2001.
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Rachael Sporn is currently the only Adelaide Lightning player to have her number retired by the team, having begun her stellar career when the club commenced in the 1993 season.
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Her #14 singlet hangs on the western wall of the Adelaide Arena alongside the Lightning's 1994, 1995, 1996, 1998 and 2008 WNBL championship banners.
