WE ARE THE CHAMPIONS!
It’s a gold rush for these Commonwealth Games winners
THE LEVI SISTERS
Green and gold runs through their Aussie veins, and when it comes to rugby sevens’ superstar sisters Maddi and Teagan Levi, winning the gold medal against archrivals Fiji was a moment they couldn’t wait to share with their two biggest fans back home in Queensland – mum Richelle and dad Jason.
“We set the alarm for 2.30am, and when that fulltime siren sounded, the tears flowed, but not nearly as much as the champagne!” a proud Richelle,
51, shares from the family home in Broadbeach.
“The girls called us straight after the medal ceremony, squealing, the pair of them, ‘Look Mum and Dad – we did it!’ They sure did – we couldn’t be prouder!”
Both Maddi, 20, and Teagan, who turns 19 this week, agree that being best friends has put them in good stead for helping each other achieve their dreams.
“We’re inseparable – we were born in Sydney and Mum, who runs a successful cleaning business, and Dad, an interstate truck driver, decided to move us to the Gold Coast 14 years ago so we could have the very best opportunities – they made so many sacrifices,” Maddi tells Woman’s Day from the athletes’ village shortly after winning the gold.
“We went to Miami High School on the Gold Coast and were enrolled in their excellence program. More kids should be encouraged to take this same path – you won’t regret it!”
And what’s next for the dynamic duo, aside from looking ahead to the Paris Olympics 2024?
“We can’t wait for our mum’s home cooking, especially her amazing corned beef, and to hug our puppy dogs Boo and Louis – being home is our happy place,” says Teagan.
“And hopefully we get to enjoy a long overdue champagne with our mum and dad – although we suspect they may well have had enough by the time we get home!”
GEORGIA GODWIN
With the weight of a nation on her shoulders, champion gymnast Georgia Godwin will never forget the 2022 Commonwealth
Games, where she managed to bag an impressive two gold and three silver medals.
“My parents got me into gymnastics at the age of three on the Gold Coast where I grew up – I owe them everything,” Georgia, 24, tells Woman’s Day from Birmingham.
Behind the scenes, it’s been an extraordinary journey for the athlete after undergoing ankle surgery on both feet just a few months ago. Her comeback even had her fiercest rivals in awe of her medal-winning performances.
“Nothing was going to stop me from being here,” she says smiling. “I go into every competition wanting to just enjoy the experience and do my best.
“It’s about being a really good sport at the end of the day – and that’s what makes us Aussies so special!”
MADISON DE ROZARIO
When wheelchair marathon star Madison de Rozario crossed the finish line to win the women’s T53/54 race in a Commonwealth Games record of 1 hour and 56 minutes, beaming from ear to ear, it was impossible to tell that she had just completed one of the toughest events of her career.
“Some races are hard because of the actual race and how it runs strategically and tactically, and sometimes it’s just the 42km that gets you,” the 28-year-old middle and long-distance legend told reporters shortly after her gold medal ceremony.
Not one to give up, after discovering her chair had been damaged in transit enroute to Birmingham, her clever support team managed to give it the quick fix it needed – thanks to a good old-fashioned zip tie!
“The entire stability of my race chair was hanging on by about three millimetres of thread, so I definitely kept my eye on it all throughout that race!” a relieved Madison said at the finish line.