ANDREW GAZE AND BELINDA CLARK MADE LEGENDS IN SPORT AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME
The Sport Australia Hall of Fame is proud to announce that cricket trailblazer Belinda Clark AO and basketball champion Andrew Gaze AM are this year’s recipients of one of the nation’s highest sporting honours.
Clark and Gaze have been elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame, recognised for their excellence, longevity, resilience and lifelong contribution to their sports.
They are the 52nd and 53rd Legends announced since 1993, joining inaugural trio Sir Donald Bradman AC, Dawn Fraser AC MBE and Sir Hubert Opperman OBE, and more recent Legends including Cathy Freeman OAM, Shane Warne AO and Ian Thorpe AM.
The Legends announcement is particularly significant as 2025 marks the 40th anniversary of the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. The historic achievement will be celebrated at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Gala Dinner at Crown Palladium in Melbourne on Monday, November 17, along with the investiture of seven new Members of the Hall of Fame, plus the announcement of this year’s recipients of The Don and The Dawn Awards, the absolute pinnacle of sporting achievement.
“The Sport Australia Hall of Fame is proud to elevate Belinda Clark and Andrew Gaze to the prestigious status of Legends of their nation,” said SAHOF Chair John Bertrand AO.
“Both icons of their respective sports, Belinda and Andrew have long inspired through excellence, leadership, and grace.
“Joining the esteemed ranks of the 51 Legends before them, their elevation to Legend status is not merely an honour – it is a recognition of legacies that have shaped the soul of Australian sport and continue to ignite the dreams of generations to come.”
Sport Australia Hall of Fame Members must be retired for 15 years before being considered for Legend status, with the elevation voted by the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Board based on recommendations by the organisation’s Selection Committee.
“Elevation to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame is an honour not easily earned, and both Belinda Clark and Andrew Gaze are recognised for having championed their sports on and off the field of play,” said Sport Australia Hall of Fame Selection Committee Chair, Bruce McAvaney OAM.
“Belinda becomes the first female amongst only a handful of cricketers to be recognised as a Legend, having already been the first woman inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame. She’s a trailblazer, an extraordinary batter, who changed the mode of play by attacking the bowling. Player, captain and ultimately the top-level administrator, her leadership and influence are unrivalled.
“Andrew Gaze is a household name and is now the first Australian basketballer to earn Legend status. Father Lindsay set the standard as a Sport Australia Hall of Famer, and both are also Legends in the National Basketball League. Andrew’s promotion of the sport at all levels has made an enormous difference to the popularity of the NBL and the identity of the Australian Boomers. His five appearances at the Olympic Games began in Los Angeles in 1984 and culminated in Sydney, where he was awarded the honour of bearing the team flag at the Opening Ceremony.
“We acknowledge that both of these Legends are extraordinary role models. Women’s cricket and Australian basketball are both in great shape, and Belinda and Andrew have had a lot to do with that.”
SPORT AUSTRALIA HALL OF FAME 2025 LEGENDS
Belinda Clark AO – Cricket
Belinda Clark AO had a trailblazing cricket career, leaving a lasting impact through records and leadership that established her as one of Australian cricket’s most significant figures and a pioneer who helped to drive the women’s game into the mainstream.
Clark was a record-breaking opening batter who made history by becoming the first cricketer, male or female, to score a double century in ODI cricket with her unbeaten 229 against Denmark at the 1997 World Cup. Her international career spanned 15 Tests (919 runs at 45.90 average) and 118 ODIs (4,844 runs at 47.49 average with five centuries), but it was her inspirational leadership that truly defined her legacy. She captained Australia 101 times, leading two World Cup triumphs (1997, 2005) and transforming what was a part-time game into the professional pathway that exists for today’s female cricketers.
With her aggressive, classical batting style and unparalleled captaincy, Clark helped to change the status of women’s cricket during the 1990s and 2000s. Following her retirement in 2005, she continued to shape the game through various administrative roles at Cricket Australia and the ICC. She was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2011, the year she was admitted to the ICC Hall of Fame, and she became the first female player to be elevated into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame in 2014. In 2023, she was honoured with a statue alongside other legends at the Sydney Cricket Ground, and her lasting impact is reflected in the medals established by Cricket Australia and Cricket NSW in her honour, providing a platform for young girls who now dare to dream of professional cricket careers.
Clark said: “It’s an unbelievable honour to be elevated to Legend status in the Sport Australia Hall of Fame. I am experiencing a combination of surprise, gratitude and pride. I played a team sport, and the reality is none of us achieve anything without the support and commitment of the whole team. I hope my teammates along with the coaches, support staff and administration feel like they are a part of this recognition. Professionally, I am proud of where the sport is going. It is setting the pace in the ambition to be equitable and whilst there is still a way to go, I am bullish about the future.
“Cricket is a game of mental toughness, and I felt tested in every game I played. One game that comes to mind was a semi-final in the 1997 World Cup. We were playing India in Delhi and the match was delayed due to fog. We had lost in the semi-final at the 1993 World Cup, and as I watched England play New Zealand from the stands at Lord’s, I vowed to never again lose a World Cup semi-final and miss the chance of playing in a final.
“We were in all sorts of trouble and found a way to win that match and go on to win the final against New Zealand in front of 70,000 at Eden Gardens in Calcutta. Staying calm and clear in those moments and backing people to play at their best under pressure is a critical part of the leadership role. I kept asking myself, what would I be thinking if I was watching this match on the lounge chair?”
Andrew Gaze AM – Basketball
Andrew Gaze AM towered over opposition during his basketball career, with dynamic game sense, pinpoint shooting and inspirational leadership establishing him as one of Australia’s greatest basketballers and a pivotal figure in the growth of the game in Australia.
Gaze dominated the National Basketball League across a 22-season career with Melbourne Tigers, playing more than 600 games and scoring almost 19,000 points at an average of 30 points per match. He won the NBL’s Most Valuable Player award a record seven times (1991-92, 1994-98) and helped the Tigers to two championships (1993, 1997). His stellar performances with the Australian Boomers truly defined his greatness, including five Olympic Games (1984, 1988, 1992, 1996, 2000), four World Cups, 297 games in green and gold, and eight years as his nation’s captain. He became the second-highest all-time Olympic scorer with 789 points, but one of his greatest honours came when he was named as Australia’s flagbearer at the Sydney 2000 Games, his fifth and final Olympic competition.
His impact extended beyond Australia, with a professional career including two NBA stints with the Washington Bullets and San Antonio Spurs, where he was on the roster for the 1998-99 championship-winning team. He also helped Seton Hall University reach the 1989 NCAA Championship Game, paving the way for future Australian players in the US college system. Following his playing career, he continued to shape the game as an NBL coach and leading commentator for the league. Gaze was inducted into the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in 2005, the Australian Basketball Hall of Fame in 2004, where he was elevated to Legend status in 2022, and fittingly, the NBL’s MVP award now bears his name.
Gaze said: “Being elevated to Legend status is something I’ve never really thought about, and it’s an honour I never imagined would be bestowed upon me. It’s very humbling, and there’s always a touch of guilt around it, because when you look at some of the people in there, you think, ‘What the hell am I doing in this type of company?’ But I’m very grateful that others feel it’s worthy, and I’m honoured to have this recognition.
“When I was growing up, through my dad, I was educated about the Olympic Games , the spirit of competition, and in particular the values associated with representing your country at the Olympics, along with the spirit of the Games and everything else that goes with it. Those values were instilled in me at a very early age, so my boyhood dreams and aspirations always centred around the pinnacle of playing for Australia and competing at the Olympics. Those Olympic experiences probably stick out a bit more because they are a direct result of the boyhood dreams you have as a youngster.”
A limited number of tickets remain for the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Gala Dinner. Join us for this prestigious celebration of Australian sporting excellence. To be part of an unforgettable evening celebrating the best 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.
For interviews and further information, please contact:
Michelle Stamper – Stamping Ground
michelle@stampingground.com.au
0413 117 711
Joshua Iacuone – Stamping Ground
joshua@stampinggground.com.au
0467 666 005
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