Australian Gold Medalists Publicly Thank Rinehart for Commonwealth Games Bonuses

Gina Rinehart attends the Australian 2024 Paris Olympic Games Swimming squad announcement at Brisbane Aquatic Centre in Queensland, Australia on June 15, 2024. Quinn Rooney/Getty ImagesAustralian swimmers Elijah Winnington and Kyle Chalmers have publicly thanked mining executive Gina Rinehart for bonus payments awarded to the national swim team after the Glasgow Commonwealth Games.As a long-time patron of the Australian team, known as the Dolphins, Rinehart’s company Hancock Prospecting distributed a total of $1,272,500 in bonuses.Gold medals attracted $20,000 each, silver $15,000, and bronze $10,000.World records were rewarded with $30,000.Winnington won gold in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay and silver in the men’s 400m freestyle. Chalmers claimed gold medals in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay, mixed 4×100m freestyle relay, 50m butterfly and 4×100m medley relay, plus a bronze in the 100m freestyle.In a social media post, Winnington described Rinehart as “our sport’s biggest supporter.”“She has singlehandedly changed the lives of countless Australian swimmers over so many years,” he wrote.Chalmers also posted his thanks, saying Rinehart’s support “makes an enormous difference” for athletes balancing training with family and other responsibilities.“Some people change lives without ever stepping onto the pool deck,” he said. “Ms. Rinehart is one of the true Australian greats … because she continues to give back to Australia and Australian sport in such a meaningful way.”In a statement, Rinehart praised the team’s performance, noting the “years of hard work, discipline, and sacrifice” required to compete at that level. She said Australian swimmers had “punched well above our population size” and risen from winning just one swimming gold at the London Olympics to finishing as the second-best swimming nation at the Games.Australian swimmers won 37 gold medals, 21 silver, 16 team medals, and 35 bronze at the Games.