Australia has competed in either the long track or short track forms of speed skating at every Olympics that it has attended, except 1964. Australia's Winter Olympic inaugural participant was long track speed skater Kenneth Kennedy, who competed in 1936 and placed in the bottom 25% in all of his four events. Colin Hickey finished seventh in 1956 in the 500 and 1,000 m long track speed skating, and placed 13th and 14th four years later. Until 1968, Hickey's four aforementioned results were the only times that an Australian finished in the top half of their event.