Hayley Lewis

Hayley Lewis OAM is an Australian Olympic gold medalist swimmer who has successfully transitioned into business ownership, television hosting, and advocacy for mental health. After achieving national recognition by winning five gold medals and one bronze medal at the 1990 Commonwealth Games at just 15 years old, Hayley Lewis went on to establish herself as an Olympic medalist and a prominent figure in Australian sport. She continued her international success at the 1991 World Aquatics Championships in Perth, securing a gold medal in the 200m freestyle, in addition to multiple silver and bronze medals across various events. Lewis competed in three Olympic Games, earning two medals at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics: a silver in the 800m freestyle and a bronze in the 400m freestyle.

She participated in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and returned from retirement to compete in the 800m freestyle at the 2000 Sydney Olympics, placing 13th. Her career also included success in open water swimming, where she secured a bronze medal in the 5 km open water event at the 2001 World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka before her final retirement from competitive swimming. For her remarkable contributions to Australian sport, Lewis was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 1997 and received the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. Following her decorated swimming career, she embarked on new professional ventures, demonstrating significant entrepreneurial spirit.

For her ongoing service to sport and the community, Lewis was a recipient of the Medal of the Order of Australia (OAM) in 2003.