Rio 2016 Olympics
Larkin still coming to terms with rise to the top
Phil Lutton The world champion backstroker will be at the heart of Australia's push to rebound in the Olympic pool when Rio arrives later this year.
Christian Sprenger had a sinking feeling before he retired from swimming
Phil Lutton When Christian Sprenger started losing his 'feel' for the water, the former world champion swimmer knew his time as an athete was starting to run out.
Cooper in sevens heaven, but he still treasures Wallaby gold
Phil Lutton Quade Cooper says he is in a happy place in his career but would never knock back the chance to play more Tests for his country.
Faster, higher, Cooper
Phil Lutton Toulon star Quade Cooper says he's feeling the nerves as he tries to book his ticket to Rio and fulfil an Olympic dream.
Retiring Christian Sprenger holds no grudges after near-miss in London Games
Phil Lutton The Australian breaststroker, who has retired before Rio, remains all class despite opponent's illegal underwater kick.
As tennis battles match-fixing claims, the IOC steps up corruption fight for Rio
Phil Lutton The International Olympic Committe is talking tough on gambling and manipulation of results, putting in fresh regulations ahead of the Games in Brazil.
Saturday Serve
'Welcome to the world the rest of us all operate in'
Jon Tuxworth Chris Erickson estimates it takes less than a minute to check if something is a banned substance. He should know.
Race walker Brendon Reading qualifies for maiden Olympic Games
Jon Tuxworth It's a challenge very few athletes face - squaring off against your own coach at an Olympics.
Roar pair keen to bring form to Olyroos
Already responsible for more than half of Brisbane's A-League goals this season, Jamie Maclaren and Brandon Borrello are poised to bring their potent double act to the Olyroos.
Olympic gold in shooter's sights
Lee Gaskin Clay target shooter James Willett is aiming at Olympic gold just over a year after taking up the double trap discipline.
Former top athletics officials get life bans
Mitch Phillips Two top Russian athletics officials and the son of former world governing body President Lamine Diack were banned from the sport for life for covering up an elite Russian athlete's positive dope test and blackmailing her over it.
Basketball
Jackson's Capitals time over as she focuses on future
Jon Tuxworth Jackson and the Capitals are finalising a release from her contract after yet another injury.
Basketball
Jackson ruled out of Canberra Capitals season, but hopes for Rio
Chris Dutton Australian basketball star Lauren Jackson's landmark $1 million deal is over after just six games and the four-time Olympian's glittering career hinges on her Rio dreams.
Russia unlikely to compete in Rio: European Athletics chief
European Athletics president Svein Arne Hansen does not expect Russia to return to international competition in time for next year's Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.
'Tweet or compete': Olympians warned about social media
David Sygall The exponential rise of social media is best summed up by the fact that in Beijing in 2008 it was a non-issue and in London in 2012 it cost Australia medals.
Swimmers need support in gold rush: AOC
David Sygall A top-five finish for Australia at the Rio Olympic Games – reversing a downward trend that has lasted more than a decade – will rely on traditional powerhouse swimming maintaining its resurgence but must be supported by athletes in other sports.
Hockeyroos crash out of World League finals
Australia's women's hockey team has ended a disappointing World League finals campaign with a loss to the Netherlands to finish sixth.
Federer excited to partner Hingis at Rio Olympics
Switzerland's two greatest tennis players will join forces at next year's Rio Olympics when Roger Federer and Martina Hingis play together in the mixed doubles.
Scandals an opportunity for change: Bach
The global corruption and doping scandals engulfing sports this year are an opportunity for organisations to undergo change and earn back lost credibility, the president of the International Olympic Committee says.
Belgium to face Kookaburras in final after downing India
The Kookaburras will play Belgium in the grand final of the Hockey World League Final after the European team beat host nation India 1-0 in their semi-final.
Rio reverse air conditioning call
Tariq Panja Organisers of Rio de Janeiro's 2016 Olympics have changed course and will now provide air conditioning in 10,500 athlete bedrooms after initially planning to ask for payment as part of cost-cutting measures aimed at reducing a $520 million budget overrun.
Kobe wants to go to Rio
Kobe Bryant, who is retiring after 20 years with the Los Angeles Lakers at the end of the NBA season, would be very happy to give an encore performance at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Rogers says Tallent's 'special moment' could take a long time
David Polkinghorne  Canberra cyclist provides insight into what it's like getting an Olympic medal upgrade.
No need for AC, says AOC
Daniel Cherny The Australian Olympic Committee has sought to alleviate concerns about athletes needing to pay for air conditioning at the Rio Olympic village, noting that every room comes with a fan.
Rio to be the no-frills Olympics
Tariq Panja and Eben Novy-Williams Athletes will be asked to pay for the air conditioning in their dorm rooms. Stadium backdrops will be stripped to their bare essentials. Fancy cars and gourmet food for VIPs are out.
Hidden cruelty of 1972 Munich Olympic attack
SAM BORDEN Warning: Graphic content. In September 1992, two Israeli widows went to the home of their lawyer. When the women arrived, the lawyer told them that he had received some photographs during his recent trip to Munich but that he did not think they should view them.
Ashwood makes record-breaking return
London Olympian Jessica Ashwood has made a record-breaking return home, setting an Australian and Australian all-comers record in the 1500 metres on the opening night of the Australian Short Course Championships in Sydney.
Next 12 weeks to decide Jackson's career
Roy Ward Lauren Jackson says she is resolved to give her knee one last chance to recover from injury and allow her to play at the Rio Olympics.
Watts lets fists do talking by beating Stridsman
Commonwealth Games gold medallist Shelley Watts has successfully defended her 60kg Australian Boxing title on the Gold Coast.
How horse and pole dancing has Seebohm focused on Rio Games
Daniel Lane A showjumping horse named Platinum - allied with a pole dancing exercise routine -  are playing important roles in helping prime backstroker Emily Seebohm to slice through the water at Rio de Janeiro's Olympic Aquatics Stadium next year.
Opals coach faces tough call on naturalised stars
Roy Ward Kelsey Griffin and Leilani Mitchell are now both in contention for an Opals spot at the Rio Olympics, but coach Brendan Joyce can pick only one naturalised player in his side.
Sevens door remains open as ARU talks to Cooper
Phil Lutton Australia has finally made it to the Olympic Sevens in Rio. The question is which big names - if any - will make the final cut?
Watts determined to break drought
Phil Lutton The Commonwealth Games champ wants more gold and the scalp of one of the world's best fighters
Sheens offers trial to bobsledder spotted on The NRL Rookie
Brad Walter A member of the Great Britain bobsleigh team has been offered a Super League trial
Athletics
Tallent missed out on Olympic pot of gold: Markson
David Polkinghorne Marketability changes with the colour of your Olympic medal.
Swimming officials on watch as Russian doping scandal threatens to spread
Phil Lutton Australian swimming officials are watching the Russian doping scandal as a former coach says Rio 2016 could be the dirtiest Games ever.
IOC suspends Diack, urges action on dopers
The IOC has provisionally suspended former IAAF president Lamine Diack and urged the ruling body of athletics to open disciplinary procedures against those found to have violated doping rules.
Don't let Rio be sabotaged like London
Michael Gleeson If Jared Tallent ran not walked quickly the searing injustice of his London Olympics gold robbery would have already been a national outrage.
Life's a beach for Olympic cricket
David Polkinghorne Let the fun and games begin in selecting Olympic sports.
Japan ace heads to Reds for Super Rugby campaign
Phil Lutton The Queensland Reds have signed Japan's Rugby World Cup hero Ayumu Goromaru for the 2016 Super Rugby season.
Fear the beard: Big man Damon Kelly throwing his weight towards Rio 2016
Phil Lutton Australia's biggest Olympian, Damon Kelly, is hoping to lift his way back onto the global stage at Rio 2016.
Games gender equality draws nearer
Samantha Lane The 2020 Olympics have been earmarked as the summer games where female athletes will have equal opportunity for the first time.
Rio 2016, the refugees' Games
Top refugee athletes with no home country to represent will be allowed to compete at the 2016 Rio Games, International Olympic Committee president Thomas Bach said on Monday at the United Nations General Assembly.
Aussie female gymnasts in Olympic trouble
Australia's female gymnasts are in danger of missing their first Olympics since 1988 after producing their worst performance at an artistic world championships in more than 25 years.
Baynes faces reality of first NBA season
Roy Ward Aron Baynes can't wait to begin the new chapter of his NBA career with Detroit Pistons as the NBA season starts on Wednesday.
Wylie poised to get two-year for extension
Samantha Lane A two-year extension of John Wylie's tenure as Australian Sports Commission chair is all but formalised, guaranteeing critical stability in the sector's administrative hierarchy beyond the Rio Olympics.
Trengove wins Melbourne marathon
Distance running star Jess Trengove will set sail for the Rio Olympics chock-full of confidence after smashing her personal best to claim a commanding victory in the Melbourne marathon.
Aussies Belcher, Ryan win sailing world title
Three sailing world championship wins in a row in the 470 class have Australians Mat Belcher and Will Ryan feeling ready for Rio.
Anna Meares keeping Rio goals to herself after tough London 2012 Olympics
Tom Decent Eleven-time world champion Anna Meares has two goals for the Rio Olympics next year, but she will not make them public because of the emotional toll her rivalry with Victoria Pendleton had on her during London 2012 in a period she said she "would not like to experience ever again".
Prison would deter cheats, says WADA boss
Samantha Lane World Anti-Doping Agency boss, David Howman, says imprisonment could be the most effective way to get rid of doping in sport.
Boomers, Opals get better view of Olympic rivals
Roy Ward All continental champions have been decided for next year's Rio Olympics with only the final few spots to be decided next July.
AOC boss John Coates demands investigation into prescription drug use in wake of Souths scandal
Andrew Webster Leading Olympics official also proposes players should be searched for medications.
Virus scare leads to FINA calls for water testing
Swimming's governing body FINA has called for virus testing in water which will be used at next year's Olympics - including the world famous Copacabana beach - following fears for athletes' health.
Spurs star Mills embraces bigger role with his NBA club
Roy Ward Patty Mills has had to fight to stay in the NBA, now he is ready for the biggest year of his career.
Tapping into a unique double
Linda Pearce Milly Tapper is the nation's third-ranked woman table tennis player; her sights, like so many, focused on next year's Olympic Games in Rio.
Olympics: Water will be clean in time for Games - Rio 2016 chief
The water quality at the Olympic sailing venue in Rio de Janeiro is a serious issue but will be resolved by the time the Games begin next year, Rio Organising Committee president Carlos Nuzman said on Tuesday.
Wells disqualified in 400m hurdles
Australian Lauren Wells has lodged an appeal after being disqualified in the opening round of the women's 400m hurdles at the world athletics championships in Beijing.
Olympic sailing events could be moved
The head of sailing's governing body threatened Saturday to move all Olympic sailing events out of polluted Guanabara Bay unless the water is cleaner and floating rubbish is removed for next year's Rio Games.
From clearing Murali to helping Roberts clear more ground
David Polkinghorne What is Canberra javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Roberts' secret weapon?
Life experience as important as medals: chef de mission Kitty Chiller
Daniel Lane While New Zealand has been praised for an Olympic programme focussed on funding a handful of medal-winning sports, Australia's Chef de Mission Kittty Chiller has stood by the 'holistic' approach to team selection.
Canberra could have Rios of gold
David Polkinghorne With less than a year to Rio, who are Canberra's gold medal hopes?
Hockeyroos great Madonna Blyth wants to take burden off Olympic swimmers
Daniel Lane Hockeyroos captain Madonna Blyth didn't need to hear Kitty Chiller, Australia's Chef de Mission for next year's Rio Olympics, declare it wasn't fair for the nation's swimmers to be expected to yet again win the majority of the team's medals in Brazil.
Double gold sees Dolphins go backwards to move forward
Phil Lutton Emily Seebohm has learnt to deal with pressure just as the AOC urges other sports to take the heat off Australia's swimmers in Rio.
Cut Aussie swimmers some slack: Olympic team boss
Samantha Lane The new boss of Australia's Olympic team has used the year-to-go milestone before the Rio games to call for an easing of pressure on the nation's top swimmers.
Samantha Lane
Australian Olympians in line for $700,000 kick
Samantha Lane The Australian Olympic Committee hopes athletes bound for the Rio Games will receive a $700,000 boost at the marking of the year-to-go countdown.
Frisbee recognised as sport by Olympics
Ultimate frisbee could bid to become an Olympic sport after the International Olympic Committee officially recognised the World Flying Disc Federation (WFDF).
Tigers recruit turns back on Olympics to pursue NRL dream
Brad Walter Wallabies stars set to dominate Australian Rugby Sevens team for Olympics in Rio so Jesse Parahi switches to Wests Tigers.
Coates quiet on Campbell Olympic gold push
Michael Gleeson The Australian Olympic Committee has refused to comment or offer support as yet for the push to correct past Olympic wrongs and for Australian athletes to be awarded medals.
US drops Boston's Olympic bid
The US Olympic Committee on Monday rescinded Boston's bid to host the 2024 Olympic Games after the mayor said his city's taxpayers could not afford to host the large-scale event.
Glenn Turner's Kookaburras reprieve builds Olympic Games hopes
Elliot Williams Olympic gold medallist Nathan Eglington insists there is no such thing as an Olympics curse on the Kookaburras.
Duke of Canberra strives for Olympic glory
Tom Kazias Duke Didier is leaving no stone unturned in his bid to qualify for the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympic Games.
Palmer could still make Rio Olympic Games despite drug charge
Samantha Lane and Phil Lutton Olympic gold medallist Kylie Palmer, suddenly sidelined after being confronted by a re-opened drugs case, may still be selected by the Australian Olympic Committee to compete at next year's Rio games even if she is sanctioned for doping.
Kylie Palmer denies doping as swim bosses lose hope of quick hearing
Phil Lutton Swimming Australia is not holding its breath for a fast-tracked hearing for Kylie Palmer
Samantha Lane
Cricket, swimming take hit in sports-funding overhaul
Samantha Lane Cricket, gymnastics and swimming will take funding hits, while rugby league and basketball will enjoy noteworthy boosts, in a complete overhaul of annual participation distributions that sports receive from Australian taxpayers.
An extraordinary ride to Rio 2016
Georgina Connery Canberra "weekend warrior" Katie Kelly was classified legally blind in January. Now she's aiming for Rio 2016
ASC missing its own female board representation target
Samantha Lane The Australian Sports Commission finds itself in the unfortunate position - even if temporarily - of failing to meet the same women-on- boards target it has mandated for national sports bodies.
Male group promotes women leaders in sport
Samantha Lane An elite sport male champions of change group is blowing the whistle on gender inequality in sport.
Joint major city bid idea rejected by IOC head
Samantha Lane International Olympic Committee president, Thomas Bach, has dismissed outright the possibility of any joint bid from major cities winning Games hosting rights.
Olympic ticket requests open to Aussies
Australian sport fans keen to head to Rio next year and watch the Olympic Games can now start requesting their tickets.
IOC chief to discuss Queensland bid
Samantha Lane The International Olympic Committee's president, in a fleeting to visit to Australia, will meet Prime Minister Tony Abbott on Wednesday to discuss Queensland's push to host the 2028 Games.
Stay focused in Rio, AOC warns athletes
With ambitious aims of a top-five finish and mindful of Brazil's high crime rate, the AOC is warning Australia's Olympic hopefuls they'll be in Rio de Janeiro for business not pleasure next year.
Olyroos cruise but Aurelio Vidmar knows Rio test still to come
Sebastian Hassett Olyroos coach Aurelio Vidmar admits his side "still has some work to do" to qualify for the 2016 Olympics despite cruising through their pre-qualification group.
Ghosts of past failure driving Olyroos 2016 hopes
Sebastian Hassett WIth their disasterous qualifiying campaign for the 2012 London Olympics now a distant memory, Olyroos coach Aurelio Vidmar is hoping his side won't repeat the same mistakes as they begin their qualificaiton journey for next year's Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
Team boss raises fears over water pollution at Rio Games
Samantha Lane, Olympics 2016 Olympic host city Rio is under mounting pressure to ensure the safety of athletes competing in open water competitions.
Rio water won't be clean, but sailing will go ahead: Mayor
Rio de Janeiro's inability to clean the waters where Olympic sailing events will take place next year is a lost opportunity for the city but it will not affect the smooth running of the races, mayor Eduardo Paes said.
Antonis and Yeboah ruled out of Olyroos' qualifiers
Sebastian Hassett A last-minute plea from Sydney FC coach Graham Arnold to have Terry Antonis withdrawn from Olyroos duty this week has been successful.
IOC plans to retest Beijing doping samples
The IOC plans to retest hundreds of doping samples from the 2008 Beijing Olympics in a bid to catch any drug cheats who escaped detection at the time.
Micro-dosing makes catching drug cheats even harder
Samantha Lane The anti-doping expert who helped revolutionise world sport's approach to catching cheats says micro-dosing of banned substances remains the hardest illegal practice to detect, but she disputes a claim that 90 per cent of cycling's professional peloton still dopes.
Buchanan to release 'scathing' Athletics Australia report
Samantha Lane A series of unflattering findings from a forensic review of Athletics Australia by former national cricket coach John Buchanan will be made public on Friday.
Bobridge and the story behind the nasal septum piercing
Samantha Lane What is up with Jack Bobridge's nose? Or, perhaps more to the point, what is up it? The question was raised during the broadcast of the track world cycling championships in Paris when the three-time track world champion lined up with his team of Australian male pursuiters.
Cycling world record to Australia
Samantha Lane Australian track cycling quartet Melissa Hoskins, Annette Edmonson, Amy Cure and Ashlee Ankudinoff have set a new 4000m team pursuit world record.
Aussies snare bronze at world championships
Samantha Lane A freak setback in an attempted world title defence by Australia's male team pursuit outfit has been sweetened by a bronze medal win from Anna Meares and Kaarle McCulloch, and a new national record by the female pursuiters.
Olympics: 'Lose-lose' if 2022 World Cup and Games clash, says Bach
It would be a lose-lose situation for the Olympics and soccer if FIFA moves the 2022 World Cup to January to February and overlaps with the Winter Games, IOC president Thomas Bach has warned.
Road to Rio proving bumpy for Brazil, Australian athletes told
Samantha Lane From no air-conditioning in village accommodation, to satellite lodgings that are still not booked, Australian Olympians are learning about significant quirks awaiting them in Rio.
Rio 2016 says clean up target for sail bay still holds
A pledge to clean Rio de Janeiro's bay where sailing will be held in 2016 still stands despite the state's top environment official suggesting the target was unattainable, said the Olympic organising committee.
Samantha Lane, Olympics Reporter
Tallent furious doping Russians get to keep Olympic gold
Samantha Lane Champion Australian walker Jared Tallent has called for a blanket ban to be imposed on all Russian athletic team members in light of a slew of doping suspensions that contentiously have left London Olympics results unchanged.
Sports yet to meet stricter anti-doping requirements
Samantha Lane The Australian Olympic Committee has highlighted five national sports federations – hockey, handball, wrestling, synchronised swimming and taekwondo – that are yet to meet stricter World Anti-Doping Agency requirements despite a public urging three months ago.
Take a walk, Olympics events told
Michael Gleeson Key Olympic events in which Australia is traditionally strong such as some swimming events and race walking are under threat after new rules were agreed by the IOC.
IOC could review Pyeongchang 2018
The International Olympic Committee will instantly review the Pyeongchang 2018 winter Olympics and the Tokyo 2020 summer Games if changes are approved at the session next week.
