Article by John Stensholt and Robert Craddock, courtesy of The Australian.
To get an indication of the influence Gina Rinehart has had in the first week of the Olympics, consider what the parents of Australia’s swimming stars say about billionaire mining magnate.
The swimmers have dominated in the pool at Paris, lighting up the La Defense Arena night after night with gold medals galore.
And there almost every evening watching on from her corporate box overlooking the pool has been Mrs Rinehart, the swimming benefactor that just about everyone in the sport is raving about.
Every night after the events are done, there’s a gathering of swimming parents at Corcoran’s Irish pub, the hotel the Australians have adopted 200m from the Olympic pool.
It is there that the parents gather to celebrate, commiserate and generally revel in the incredible atmosphere that only the Olympics can generate.
They are effusive in their praise of Mrs Rinehart there too, where they talk about just how much difference the iron ore magnate’s direct funding to the swimmers, and athletes in three other sports, has made to their sporting lives.
In other words, Mrs Rinehart’s money, medal incentives and even milk and Wagyu beef has, in combination with coaching expertise and athlete talent, helped propel the swimmers to their best results for several Games.
“If it wasn’t for Mrs Rinehart’s contribution there is no way Australia would have done as well on the medal table. She directly funds the top athletes,” says Jeff Winnington, a director of Swimming Queensland and father of swimmer Elijah Winnington.
“She gives them the opportunity to pursue their passion and represent the green and gold without having to go and work because swimming is a full-time job.”
“It takes a lot of the financial burden off. I know some of the athletes were in tears thinking they were going to have to give up their sport during the dark times when there was not that money flowing through.
“They were thinking “I will never be an Olympian’’ and to see that spark again in their eyes. It changes lives. It is such a beautiful relationship she has with the sport.”
Winnington has spent part of the first week attending events with Mrs Rinehart, speaking on behalf of other swimming parents to The Weekend Australian after watching Elijah win silver in the Men’s 400m freestyle and then bronze with the 4x200m freestyle relay team.
Mrs Rinehart has been a ubiquitous presence in Paris across the first week, attending the opening ceremony on the River Seine in the rain, where she was pictured sitting in a weatherproof poncho.
She has spent several nights at the swimming at La Defense with legend Dawn Fraser, and then journeyed across the river to cheer on the Australian’s men’s beach volleyball pair Thomas Hodges and Zachery Schubert one morning on a scorching hot Paris day at the iconic stadium built for the Olympics at the foot of the Eiffel Tower.
She vocally supported their debut performance on the Olympic stage, with her inflatable kangaroo by her side.
While falling short against the 10th seed Polish team the Australian duo put up a brave fight and showed the crowd what they are capable of.
“Mrs Rinehart has watched these young men perform many times and knows our athletes well. Her support has been central to the success of our men’s program, in a sport where our women have long shone so brightly,” Volleyball Australia president Craig Carracher said.
“Not since Athens 2004 have we fielded two men’s teams at an Olympics. Together with the AIS, the 10 year support of Mrs Rinehart has been central to the ‘overnight’ debut success of our teams here in Paris.”
Volleyball is one of four sports the billionaire majority owner of Hancock Prospecting backs.
Through her foundation and her Hancock mining giant, Rinehart pours an estimated $10 million annually into athlete support for swimming, rowing, volleyball and artistic swimming athletes.
So popular is the backing, which also includes a sponsorship deal with the Australian Olympic Committee, that The Weekend Australian understands at least two other Olympic sports had negotiations with Mrs Rinehart over the last two years to also gain funding – though the talks did not come to fruition.
The billionaire has spent $60m assisting athletes from after the London 2012 Games through to Tokyo in 2021 and is now likely closing in on the $100m mark – which will be easily beaten given she has promised to keep up the support until Los Angeles 2028 and then Brisbane four years later.
Hancock’s money is funnelled directly to swimmers via Swimming Queensland, and rowers also get paid about $600 per week directly as well as the sport receiving some funding for rowing training camps and other high-performance matters.
“I think it is amazing the support Gina has for athletes,” said Harvey Norman boss Katie Page, who was also at the pool and equestrian this week to cheer on Australian competitors.
“She has her own model in what she does, but she is clearly very enthusiastic about the spots that she backs. And I think that is a good thing.”
Late in the week, Mrs Rinehart attended rowing finals at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, about an hour out of Paris.
One rowing parent told The Weekend Australian: “The rowers just couldn’t do what they do without Gina. My daughter has good qualifications and people her age in that profession are working full-time and earning really good money.
“She can’t work all the time, given the training commitments she has. So that money that they get from Gina directly helps. Without it, she just wouldn’t be at the Olympics.”
Mrs Rinehart will cap her first week in Paris by hosting a luxury boat cruise down the River Seine on Monday evening.
The restaurant boat is run by renowned French chef Alain Ducasse, and guests – including medal-winning swimmers and rowers – are receiving gifts such as gold Rossi boots.
“This is just a very, very small acknowledgment for the years of incredible effort our Olympians have put in. They really try so hard to represent our country well, and make our nation proud,” Mrs Rinehart said about the cruise.
As Winnington describes, the billionaire might just be the keenest Australian Olympic fan in Paris, while also putting in plenty of money.
“That backing frees them to do what they need to do and can do best. She can take a lot of pride out of the fact that she has made a massive difference.
“It is beyond words. She is just so passionate about it. Not just financially but she is poolside waving the flag. It is a wonderful thing to witness.”
