Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics Australia at the 2000 Summer Olympics Australia was the host nation for the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Australian athletes have competed in every Summer Olympic Games. 628 competitors, 341 men and 276 women, took part in 270 events in 34 sports. Australia won its first Olympic gold medal in the sport of archery in Sydney. Simon Fairweather defeated all six archers he faced, including a comfortable seven-point victory in the final. Men Women The Australians' second appearance in the Olympic baseball tournament resulted in the team moving up one place in the rankings, from seventh to sixth. They defeated
Summer Olympic Coins (2000–present) Summer Olympic Coins (2000–present) In 1951, the government of Finland authorized the striking of the first modern Olympic coin, a 500 Markka. At first, the coins circulated as currency in the issuing country and the mintages were high. In borrowing from the traditions of ancient Greece, the coins were a memento of the 1951 Games, and a coin that numismatists could now add to their collection. With the exception of Canada's Lucky Loonie program and its 2007 25-cent pieces to commemorate the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, it is rare that Olympic coins are minted for circulation. Traditionally, Olympic coins are