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2001 Goodwill Games
View on Wikipediafrom Wikipedia
 Official logo | |
| Host city | Brisbane, Queensland |
|---|---|
| Country | Australia |
| Opening | 29 August 2001 |
| Closing | 9 September 2001 |
The 2001 Goodwill Games was the fifth and final edition of the international multi-sport event. The competition was held in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, from 29 August to 9 September 2001. A total around 1300 athletes took part in 14 sporting competitions.[1] These were the first and only Goodwill Games to be held outside of the US and Russia, and the only time to be taken place in the Southern Hemisphere.
The small scale opening ceremony was held at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre at Boondall and featured The Corrs, Bardot and Keith Urban. There was a live audience of 10,000 and the ceremony was broadcast live to an international audience of 450 million viewers.[2]
The Goodwill Bridge, a pedestrian and cyclist bridge spanning the Brisbane River, is named after the games.[3][4][5][6]
Hosts Australia topped the medal table with 29 gold and 74 total medals. Russia was second with 24 and 73, respectively, while the United States placed third (21 and 71).
Venues
[edit]- Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre – artistic gymnastics, basketball, boxing, rhythmic gymnastics, trampoline, weightlifting
- ANZ Stadium – athletics
- South Bank Piazza – beach volleyball
- Chandler Velodrome – cycling
- Chandler Aquatic Centre – diving, swimming
- Brisbane Entertainment Centre – figure skating
- Kurrawa Beach, Gold Coast – surf lifesaving
Sports
[edit]There were 155 events across 14 sports:[7][8]
Athletics ()
Basketball ()
Beach volleyball ()
Boxing ()
Cycling ()
Diving ()
Figure skating ()
Gymnastics ()
Surf lifesaving ()
Swimming ()
Trampolining ()
Triathlon ()
Weightlifting ()
Medal table
[edit]* Host nation (Australia)
| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Australia (AUS)* | 29 | 25 | 20 | 74 |
| 2 |  Russia (RUS) | 24 | 30 | 19 | 73 |
| 3 |  United States (USA) | 21 | 20 | 30 | 71 |
| 4 |  China (CHN) | 13 | 8 | 1 | 22 |
| 5 |  Cuba (CUB) | 11 | 2 | 1 | 14 |
| 6 |  Romania (ROM) | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 |
| 7 |  Germany (GER) | 5 | 1 | 5 | 11 |
| 8 |  Ukraine (UKR) | 4 | 9 | 8 | 21 |
| 9 |  Japan (JPN) | 4 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
| 10 |  Poland (POL) | 3 | 5 | 3 | 11 |
| 11 |  Kenya (KEN) | 3 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| 12 |  South Africa (RSA) | 3 | 2 | 1 | 6 |
| 13 |  Brazil (BRA) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 |
 Great Britain (GBR) | 3 | 1 | 1 | 5 | |
| 15 |  New Zealand (NZL) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 7 |
| 16 |  Ethiopia (ETH) | 2 | 2 | 0 | 4 |
| 17 |  Czech Republic (CZE) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 |
 Iran (IRI) | 2 | 1 | 0 | 3 | |
| 19 |  Netherlands (NED) | 2 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 20 |  Jamaica (JAM) | 1 | 7 | 3 | 11 |
| 21 |  Hungary (HUN) | 1 | 4 | 6 | 11 |
| 22 |  Sweden (SWE) | 1 | 4 | 0 | 5 |
| 23 |  Bulgaria (BUL) | 1 | 3 | 6 | 10 |
| 24 |  Belarus (BLR) | 1 | 2 | 5 | 8 |
| 25 |  Bahamas (BAH) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
 Latvia (LAT) | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | |
| – | Europe All-Stars | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| 27 |  Mexico (MEX) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
 Slovakia (SVK) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |
| – | World All-Stars (Athletics) | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 29 |  Dominican Republic (DOM) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
 Morocco (MAR) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
 Mozambique (MOZ) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | |
| 32 |  Canada (CAN) | 0 | 4 | 2 | 6 |
| 33 |  Argentina (ARG) | 0 | 4 | 0 | 4 |
| – | World All-Stars (Swimming) | 0 | 3 | 0 | 3 |
| 34 |  Israel (ISR) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 |
 Uzbekistan (UZB) | 0 | 2 | 0 | 2 | |
| 36 |  Georgia (GEO) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 37 |  Burundi (BDI) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
 Estonia (EST) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
 Lithuania (LTU) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | |
| 40 |  Saudi Arabia (KSA) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
 Spain (ESP) | 0 | 0 | 2 | 2 | |
| 42 |  Austria (AUT) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 |
 Chinese Taipei (TPE) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Finland (FIN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 France (FRA) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Portugal (POR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Puerto Rico (PUR) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
 Senegal (SEN) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | |
| Totals (48 entries) | 156 | 160 | 145 | 461 | |
Participation
[edit]Athletes from 58 countries took part in the 2001 Goodwill Games.[9]
Argentina (16)
Australia (159)
Austria (3)
Bahamas (3)
Belarus (13)
Belgium (7)
Bermuda (1)
Brazil (24)
Bulgaria (6)
Burundi (2)
Canada (48)
Chad (1)
China (27)
Chinese Taipei (2)
Cuba (46)
Czech Republic (10)
Dominican Republic (1)
Estonia (1)
Ethiopia (5)
Finland (4)
France (12)
Georgia (1)
Germany (17)
Great Britain (34)
Hungary (5)
Iran (4)
Israel (5)
Jamaica (9)
Japan (11)
Kenya (15)
Latvia (2)
Lithuania (1)
Mauritius (1)
Mexico (2)
Morocco (3)
Mozambique (1)
Netherlands (11)
New Zealand (50)
Norway (2)
Panama (1)
Poland (16)
Portugal (1)
Puerto Rico (1)
Romania (11)
Russia (97)
Saudi Arabia (2)
Senegal (1)
Slovakia (1)
Slovenia (2)
South Africa (23)
South Korea (3)
Spain (14)
Sri Lanka (1)
Sweden (13)
Ukraine (30)
United States (175)
Uzbekistan (2)
Venezuela (1)
;Notes
- The number of athletes in each country's team is shown in parentheses, where known.
- A few athletes from these countries also competed for multinational all-star teams in events such as track relays and swimming relays.
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ 2001 Goodwill Games - Quick Facts. Goodwill Games. Retrieved on 2010-06-23.
- ^ "Goodwill Games Opening Ceremony". Out There Productions. Archived from the original on 27 January 2014. Retrieved 9 February 2014.
- ^ Heritage and Architecture - Goodwill Bridge
- ^ Queensland attraction - Goodwill Bridge
- ^ Goodwill Bridge
- ^ Buildings - Goodwill Bridge
- ^ a b "Medals by country". Goodwill Games website. AOL Time Warner. Archived from the original on 11 February 2002.
- ^ "Sports". Goodwill Games website. AOL Time Warner. Archived from the original on 3 February 2002.
- ^ "Ccompetitors". Goodwill Games website. AOL Time Warner. Archived from the original on 3 February 2002.
External links
[edit]- "Official Goodwill Games website". AOL Time Warner. Archived from the original on 22 December 2001.
2001 Goodwill Games
View on Grokipediafrom Grokipedia
Background
Overview
The 2001 Goodwill Games were the fifth and final edition of an international multi-sport event, held from August 29 to September 9, 2001, in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Approximately 1,300 athletes from 58 countries competed in 155 events across 14 sports, including athletics, gymnastics, swimming, and basketball. This edition represented a significant milestone as the first and only Goodwill Games conducted outside the United States or Russia, and the inaugural hosting in the Southern Hemisphere. Founded by media entrepreneur Ted Turner in the mid-1980s, the Goodwill Games aimed to promote global goodwill and ease Cold War tensions, particularly following the U.S. boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics and the Soviet boycott of the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics. Turner envisioned the event as a platform for friendly athletic competition between superpowers, providing an alternative to politically disrupted Olympic cycles and generating content for his burgeoning media empire, including CNN and WTBS. Over its lifespan, the Games evolved in the post-Soviet era to emphasize broader international participation and charitable causes, such as support for UNICEF, despite incurring substantial financial losses for Turner Broadcasting. The 2001 Brisbane Games concluded the series, discontinued by Time Warner after its 1996 merger with Turner Broadcasting due to declining television ratings and escalating costs.Host Selection and Planning
The bidding process for the 2001 Goodwill Games culminated in July 1998 when Brisbane, Australia, was selected as the host city over finalist Guangzhou, China.[5][6] This choice marked the first time the event was awarded to a location outside North America or Europe, breaking from the previous hosts of Moscow (1986), Seattle (1990), Saint Petersburg (1994), and New York City (1998).[5] The announcement was made by Goodwill Games founder Ted Turner, emphasizing Brisbane's modern facilities and proximity to the 2000 Sydney Olympics as key advantages.[7] Following the selection, planning accelerated with the establishment of 2001 Goodwill Games Brisbane Limited as the local organizing committee by the Queensland Government in late 1998.[8] Preparations encompassed infrastructure enhancements to existing venues, such as upgrades to stadiums and transportation links, alongside international promotional campaigns that began in 1999 to build global awareness and secure sponsorships.[9] These efforts aimed to leverage the recent Olympic momentum while adapting the Games to a compressed three-year cycle from the prior edition, with a return to four years thereafter.[5] The event was primarily organized by Turner Broadcasting System, a subsidiary of AOL Time Warner, which handled broadcasting and overall coordination.[10] The total budget approximated $50 million, split between $20 million for operational costs—funded by $10 million from the Queensland state government, $3 million from Brisbane City Council, and the balance from sponsorships and ticket sales—and $30 million allocated by Turner for production and media rights.[9] Planning faced hurdles due to the Games' timing just one year after the 2000 Sydney Olympics, which led to potential athlete fatigue and scheduling conflicts; to counter this, organizers offered appearance fees to prominent Olympic competitors, successfully drawing stars like Marion Jones and others to ensure high-profile participation.[11][12]Organization
Ceremonies
The opening ceremony of the 2001 Goodwill Games took place on August 29, 2001, at the Brisbane Entertainment Centre in Boondall, Queensland, Australia.[13] This small-scale event deviated from traditional multi-sport formats by omitting elements like a torch lighting or athletes' oath, instead prioritizing entertainment for paying spectators with only select high-profile guests invited.[13] Cultural performances formed a key highlight, including traditional Torres Strait Islander welcome dances and Aboriginal dances performed in front of the Australian flag.[14][15] Australian artists such as singer Vanessa Amorosi also performed, contributing to the celebratory atmosphere.[13] Athletes from participating nations paraded into the arena, followed by speeches that underscored the games' mission of promoting international goodwill, with Goodwill Games founder Ted Turner addressing the audience.[16] The ceremony drew approximately 9,000 ticket-holders, who paid between $95 and $150 for attendance, reflecting its focus on public engagement over elite protocol.[13] It was broadcast live by Turner Network Television (TNT), reaching viewers across the United States as part of the network's 83 hours of overall games coverage.[17] The closing ceremony occurred on September 9, 2001, at South Bank Piazza in Brisbane, marking the conclusion of the fifth and final edition of the Goodwill Games.[18] The event was reported as packed out, indicating significant attendance and a vibrant close to the competitions.[19]Sports Program
The 2001 Goodwill Games featured a diverse sports program consisting of 14 disciplines, held over 12 days from August 29 to September 9, 2001, in Brisbane, Australia. This final edition of the event showcased elite international competition across a range of Olympic and non-Olympic sports, with events spread throughout the schedule to maximize spectator engagement and media coverage.[20][1] The sports contested were athletics, artistic gymnastics, basketball, beach volleyball, boxing, track cycling, diving, figure skating, rhythmic gymnastics, swimming, surf lifesaving, trampoline, triathlon, and weightlifting.[1] Competitions began with opening events in gymnastics and trampoline on August 29, followed by a packed calendar that included figure skating from September 5 to 9 and athletics from September 4 to 7.[1][20][21] The program encompassed hundreds of individual and team events, emphasizing high-level performances in disciplines such as track and field in athletics and apparatus finals in gymnastics. For instance, the gymnastics schedule included all-around and apparatus finals for men and women in artistic gymnastics, as well as rhythmic and trampoline competitions, contributing to the Games' focus on comprehensive multi-sport participation.[20]Venues and Facilities
Primary Venues
The primary venues for the 2001 Goodwill Games were concentrated in Brisbane, Queensland, providing dedicated facilities for the 14 sports contested during the event from August 29 to September 9. These sites were selected for their ability to accommodate international-level competitions, with many undergoing upgrades to meet world-class standards, including a $4.75 million investment in key athletic infrastructure.[22] The ANZ Stadium (now known as the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre) served as the central hub for athletics, hosting track and field events from September 4 to 7, where 44 events featured top Olympic champions. With a capacity of approximately 40,000 spectators for such configurations, the venue's synthetic track and grandstands supported high-profile races and field competitions.[23][24] The Brisbane Entertainment Centre, an indoor arena in Boondall with a capacity of 13,500, was utilized for figure skating and short track speed skating competitions and contributed to the event's ceremonial aspects. This multi-purpose facility enabled the ice events to draw international crowds in a controlled environment.[22][25] The Sleeman Sports Complex, a multi-sport facility in Chandler, hosted aquatics disciplines including swimming, diving, and synchronized swimming at its Brisbane Aquatic Centre component, as well as table tennis in dedicated halls. The complex's pools and arenas were upgraded for the Games, supporting synchronized events that highlighted Australian swimmers like Ian Thorpe.[22][26] The Chandler Aquatic Centre, integrated within the Sleeman Complex, specifically managed the swimming events, featuring a 50-meter pool that hosted medal rounds and team competitions.[22][27] Basketball competitions took place at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, a versatile indoor venue that also accommodated gymnastics (artistic, rhythmic, and trampoline), boxing, and weightlifting, functioning effectively as a key basketball arena during the tournament.[22] Beach volleyball was held at the South Bank Piazza, which was converted into a world-class arena with imported sand. Triathlon events started with a swim in the Brisbane River at South Bank Parklands, followed by bike and run courses through the city. Track cycling competitions occurred at the Chandler Velodrome. Surf lifesaving events took place at Kurrawa Beach on the Gold Coast.[22]Supporting Infrastructure
The supporting infrastructure for the 2001 Goodwill Games in Brisbane encompassed logistical elements essential for the event's smooth operation, including transportation networks and athlete accommodations, alongside enduring physical legacies. Transportation arrangements were a cornerstone of the Games' logistics, with a comprehensive system of shuttle services connecting venues, accommodations, and key sites across the city. Specialized coach operators provided shuttle buses, charter services, and airport transfers to accommodate athletes, officials, and visitors, ensuring efficient movement amid the multi-venue format.[28] These efforts were integrated with Brisbane's public transit system, where organizers issued media releases promoting its use as the optimal mode for accessing non-ticketed events and navigating road closures implemented during the competition period from August 29 to September 9.[29] The Games housed the approximately 1,300 participating athletes from 58 nations, providing convenient access to training areas and support services tailored to their needs.[12][30] Among the Games' permanent legacies was the Goodwill Bridge, a 470-meter steel arch pedestrian and cyclist bridge crossing the Brisbane River between the South Bank Parklands and Queensland University of Technology Gardens Point campus. Opened on October 21, 2001, shortly after the event concluded, it was explicitly named to commemorate the Goodwill Games and has since served as an iconic element of Brisbane's urban landscape, enhancing connectivity for commuters and tourists.[31][32] The event also spurred venue upgrades and infrastructure enhancements, supported by Queensland state budget allocations for property, plant, equipment, site preparation, and major road improvements in preparation for the Games.[33]Participation
Nations Involved
The 2001 Goodwill Games attracted athletes from 58 nations, representing a broad spectrum of international participation with approximately 1,300 competitors across 14 sports.[2] As the host nation, Australia fielded a substantial delegation, while major powers including the United States and Russia also sent substantial teams, underscoring the event's global appeal. Representation was strong from Oceania, with Australia and New Zealand leading the region; the Americas, highlighted by the United States and Brazil; Europe, featuring Russia and Germany; and Asia, including China and Japan.[2] This edition marked the first time the Goodwill Games were held in the Southern Hemisphere, expanding the event's geographic reach beyond its traditional Northern Hemisphere venues in the United States and Russia. The participation of independent nations from the former Soviet Union further reflected the post-Cold War reconfiguration of international sports, allowing for broader East-West engagement in line with the Games' founding ethos of promoting goodwill.[2]Athlete Profiles
The 2001 Goodwill Games featured approximately 1,300 athletes competing across 14 sports, drawing a diverse mix of established Olympic medalists from the recent Sydney 2000 Games and promising emerging talents selected to showcase international goodwill through competition.[9][34] This composition emphasized high-caliber participants, with many invited to ensure elite fields without the constraints of broader Olympic-style quotas.[35] Unlike traditional multi-sport events, the Goodwill Games employed no rigid qualification standards or preliminary heats for entry; instead, athlete selection relied on invitations extended by national governing bodies and event organizers, prioritizing top-ranked performers—often those within the world's top 10 per discipline—to foster competitive balance and global representation.[9][36] National federations played a key role in nominations, as seen in gymnastics where U.S. participants were chosen post-national championships, allowing flexibility to include both veterans and rising stars without country-specific limits.[20] Among the standout delegations, the United States basketball team highlighted young professional talent, featuring pre-NBA draft prospects and recent rookies such as Jermaine O'Neal, alongside established players like Kenyon Martin and Shawn Marion, who represented a bridge between collegiate and league careers.[37][38] The Australian swimming squad, buoyed by home advantage, included post-Sydney 2000 Olympic heroes like world record holder Ian Thorpe, who anchored a powerhouse group of medalists from events such as the 200-meter and 400-meter freestyles.[39] Russia's contingent in gymnastics and figure skating showcased its depth in aesthetic sports, with gymnasts like Svetlana Khorkina and Elena Zamolodchikova leading the artistic team, while figure skaters including Irina Slutskaya, Evgeni Plushenko, and pairs duo Elena Berezhnaya and Anton Sikharulidze exemplified the nation's technical prowess.[40]Competitions and Results
Event Highlights
In athletics, Marion Jones of the United States delivered a commanding performance in the women's 100m, winning gold in 10.84 seconds after overcoming three false starts to showcase her explosive acceleration.[41] Fellow American Shawn Crawford claimed the men's 200m title in 20.17 seconds, solidifying his status as a rising sprint star following his indoor world championship success earlier that year.[42] Sweden's Stefan Holm captured the high jump gold with a leap of 2.33 meters, edging out Russian competitor Vyacheslav Voronin for a key victory in the field events.[43] Gymnastics highlights included strong showings from the Russian women, who dominated the all-around podium by taking silver with Svetlana Khorkina and bronze with Elena Zamolodchikova behind Romania's Sabina Cojocar. Russia's overall strength was evident in the discipline. In figure skating, Russia's Irina Slutskaya outskated American Michelle Kwan in the women's free skate to secure gold, reversing their recent world championship result with a technically superior program.[44] Basketball saw the United States men's team overpower Argentina 91-63 in the final, led by Jermaine O'Neal's 14 points in a dominant display of NBA talent.[45] Australia claimed the women's title by defeating the United States 89-60, capitalizing on home advantage. Australian swimmers shone in the pool, with Grant Hackett winning the men's 200m freestyle in 1:47.95 and another compatriot posting a sub-2:00 time, highlighting the nation's depth in distance events during the games.[26]Medal Table
The medal table for the 2001 Goodwill Games ranked participating nations primarily by the number of gold medals awarded, with ties resolved first by silver medals and then by bronze medals. A total of 155 events were contested across 14 sports, with medals awarded in every competition. Australia, benefiting from home advantage particularly in aquatics and team sports such as basketball and beach volleyball, led the standings with 29 gold medals, 25 silver medals, and 30 bronze medals, for a total of 74. Russia placed second overall with 73 total medals, while the host's closest rivals, the United States, earned 71 medals in third position. The distribution of medals was relatively balanced across individual disciplines like athletics and gymnastics, though team-based events contributed significantly to the top nations' tallies.| Rank | Nation | Gold | Silver | Bronze | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Australia (AUS) | 29 | 25 | 30 | 74 |
| 2 | Russia (RUS) | 24 | 25 | 24 | 73 |
| 3 | United States (USA) | 21 | 25 | 25 | 71 |