Dolphins hit $1 million jackpot with Rinehart riches
Ian Chadband |
Australia’s all-conquering Commonwealth Games swimmers have smashed the million-dollar barrier in bonuses from billionaire benefactor Gina Rinehart as they enter the final day of their record-breaking medal spree in Glasgow.
The Dolphins, who’ve amassed 61 medals and a record-equalling 28 golds already between them at the Games, have hit the jackpot by amassing a collective $1.05 million pay day.
It’s all thanks to the largesse of mining magnate Rinehart and her Hancock Prospecting company.
The swimmers are also set for a bumper pay-day on the sixth and final day of the pool program at Tollcross, with another hatful of gold expected for the team that’s now certain to shatter the previous record haul of 28 golds at the Gold Coast Games of 2018.
With individual gold medallists in the pool receiving $20,000, silver medallists $15,000 and bronze winners $10,000 each per event, as well as each relay champion picking up $5000 each per event, the most successful Dolphins have cashed in big-time.
Individual triple gold medallist Lani Pallister, who had enthusiastically supported Rinehart’s intervention by saying in a Hancock press release “we’re so incredibly grateful for everything she does for us and she continually goes above and beyond”, has earned $80,000.
Sam Short’s two freestyle golds and a relay triumph have so far earned him $45,000, but he could earn $40,000 more on the last day if he was to complete the remarkable feat of winning five golds by lifting both the 200m and 1500m freestyle crowns in the same final session.
That prospect moved tantalisingly closer after the final morning session on Wednesday when Brisbane’s 400m world champ qualified for 200 final second quickest in 1 minute 45.90sec, while Scotland’s defending champion and local hero Duncan Scott surprisingly failed to make the final.
Harry Turner, Australia’s 200m butterfly silver medallist, and teammate Kai Taylor will also be in the shake-up, with Welsh 2023 world champion Matt Richards looking likely to be the man to beat.
Despite having to undertake the 1500m only a couple of hours after competing in the four-lap event, the 22-year-old Short is so far ahead of his competition that he’s expected to comfortably add the pool marathon title to his 400m and 800m crowns.
The two second-string 4x100m medley quartets easily won their heats and are set to complete a clean sweep of all the relay titles later to conclude the meet.
The women even had the luxury of fielding Mollie O’Callaghan on the anchor leg, though she’s expected to give way to her 100m conqueror Meg Harris for the final.
It’s still possible Harris, who’s also set to lift the 50m freestyle crown in the final session, could end up the most bemedalled of the Dolphin champions, with a possible six golds if she lands the dash and then anchors another winning relay.
That would put her alongside fellow Australian swimmers Susie O’Neill (1998 Kuala Lumpur), Ian Thorpe (2002 Manchester) and Emma McKeon (2022 Birmingham), as well as Canadian pool star Graham Smith (1978 Edmonton), as athletes who’ve won six golds in a single Games.
On the Rinehart money-go-round swimmer, it would also be worth $60,000 to the Albury-born, Mackay-raised 24-year-old.
AAP