Torah Bright announced as a 2025 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Inductee
Published Thu 07 Aug 2025
Torah Bright OAM, Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian, has been named as one of seven new members to be inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame,
From her early days on the slopes of Cooma, New South Wales, to the global stage of the Winter Olympics and X Games, Bright has achieved extraordinary success and transformed the way Australians view winter sport. She captured one gold and one silver medal across three Olympic Games while elevating snowboarding’s profile throughout the nation.
Born and raised in Cooma, near the New South Wales snowfields, she began skiing at an early age before transitioning to snowboarding at 11. Torah made her Australian Winter Olympic debut at 19 during the 2006 Turin Games, finishing fifth in the Snowboard Halfpipe, just one point shy of the podium. Her competitive excellence continued with gold medals at the 2007 and 2009 Winter X Games, complemented by silver medals in 2006 and 2008. Her defining moment arrived at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. After carrying Australia's flag at the Opening Ceremony, Torah faced injury concerns heading into the Halfpipe final. Rising to the occasion with remarkable determination, she delivered a magnificent performance to claim the gold medal, a victory that transformed both her life and snowboarding’s status in Australia.
At the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics, Torah made history as the first female athlete to compete in three snowboarding events: Slopestyle, Halfpipe and Snowboard-cross. Her silver medal in the Halfpipe secured her position as Australia’s most successful Winter Olympian, cementing her legacy in the nation’s sporting history. Torah retired from competitive snowboarding in January 2020, having revolutionised the sport through her achievements, innovative technique and ability to inspire the next generation of snowboarders both in Australia and internationally.
“I hope my legacy shows that no dream is too big,” Bright said. “Belief, real, unwavering belief in yourself, your vision and what’s possible, isn’t something you’re just born with. It’s a skill. Like a muscle it has to be built, stretched and strengthened every day.”
Joining Bright in the 2025 class of inductees are fellow sporting greats Lleyton Hewitt AM (tennis), Jason Dunstall (AFL), Laura Geitz (netball), Cameron Smith AM (rugby league), Mark Schwarzer OAM (football), and Dr Peter Harcourt AM (sports medicine), whose contributions span elite performance and visionary support roles.
Membership in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame is reserved for athletes and contributors who have reached the pinnacle of their fields and left a lasting mark on Australian sport. Bright now joins an illustrious honour roll that includes Cathy Freeman, Ian Thorpe, Lauren Jackson, and Layne Beachley, legends whose achievements have shaped the nation’s sporting identity.
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair, Bruce McAvaney OAM, said: “The seven new Inductees into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame are a diverse group representing team and individual sports at the highest level.
“They’ve inspired generations of Australians and provided our country with so much joy. Nothing is obvious when choosing between champions from so many different sports, but we know the class of 2025 sits comfortably alongside those who’ve already been recognised in the most prestigious Hall of Fame in this country.’’
The 2025 Inductees will be celebrated and formally inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame at the Induction and Awards Gala Dinner on Monday, November 17, at Crown Palladium in Melbourne. Two existing Members will be elevated to Legends of Australian Sport on the evening, and the 2025 winners of The Don and The Dawn Awards will be announced.
Limited tickets are still available. To join us for an unforgettable evening celebrating excellence in Australian sport, book here: Gala Dinner Tickets.
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction and Awards program is proudly supported by the Australian Sports Commission incorporating the Australian Institute of Sport, and supported by Crown, Harvey Norman, Sportscover and Deakin University.
