Cathy Freeman, Ash Barty and Sam Kerr have been identified as the sporting figures admired most by Australians according to a new poll. Their prominence – not only nationally but in every one of the five largest states – is a pattern that confirms their place atop Australia's sporting pedestal.
Freeman leads national poll
An online poll by DemosAu found Sydney 2000 hero Freeman to be the most admired sporting figure nationally. She was named by 10% of Australian adult respondents when they were asked to name up to three Australian sportspeople they most admired.
Former tennis player Ash Barty and Matildas captain Sam Kerr were narrowly behind on 9% each.
DemosAU head of research George Hasanakos said the three women's popularity reflected the nature of their success, and how their achievements united the country in international competition.
Achievements that united the nation
Freeman won Olympic gold in the 400m, world No 1 Barty claimed three tennis grand slam titles, and Kerr was named runner up of the Ballon d'Or Féminin – the award for the world's best female footballer – in 2023.
“Nothing brings Australians together like major sporting occasions and millions of us watched Cathy Freeman's Olympic gold medal, Ash Barty's Australian Open win and the Matildas' 2023 World Cup campaign,” Hasanakos said.
State-based differences
Look more deeply at the figures, however, and localised tastes become obvious. In Victoria, former AFL player and coach Neale Daniher, who passed away recently from motor neurone disease, ranks second on 9% behind only Barty.
In NSW, Penrith halfback Nathan Cleary ranks second on 10% behind Freeman's 13%. “Nathan Cleary's strong result in New South Wales shows how state-based sporting culture continues to influence which athletes people feel closest to,” Hasanakos said.
“At the same time, Cathy Freeman's commanding lead demonstrates that the most powerful national sporting memories can reach well beyond any one code or generation.”
Other notable results
Steve Smith, the cricketer embroiled in the “sandpaper-gate” ball tampering scandal in 2018, appears to have resuscitated his image. He eclipsed even Australian captain Pat Cummins in polling in NSW, the pair's home state, even if Cummins was better supported nationally.
The only state not to return one of the three standout women as the most-admired (of the five from which data was provided by DemosAU) was South Australia. That honour instead went to AFL player Taylor Walker, the Adelaide Crows veteran.
