Alisa Camplin

Alisa Camplin is more than just a "sporty girl". She started running at age six and won several state titles in the short and middle distances (Hurdles, Cross Country and the 800m). At 14 she took up gymnastics and progressed to become a national stream gymnast.

She saw snow for the first time on a high school trip and then took up skiing for the first time at 19yrs of age! Alisa was 21 years old when she first competed as an aerial skier, and currently holds a firm spot on the Australian Ski Team.
Alisa Camplin captivated the world and made history, through the application of quiet dedication. To win the gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, the 5-foot-2-inch Australian landed a "back full/double full" on her second jump, out doing the World Record Holder, reigning World Cup Grand Prix Champion and the World Champion. Alisa is now our homegrown Olympic Champion!
All around the world, there was collective pride (and tears) for Australia's humble little hero, as Alisa gracefully performed and then accepted her gold medal win. While the Australian seemed taken by complete surprise, there was little doubt within the "aerial skiing community", that the Olympic Gold Medal was hung around the neck of the hardest working, most worthy international competitor.
Alisa had previously finished 7th at her first ever Aerial World Championship Event in 1999. Continuing on from this result, she made significant improvements in a very short period of time, achieving an impressive World Cup ranking of fifth in 2000-2001. Alisa also started the latest season in great form, wining a silver medal in the second World Cup of the season at Mt Buller, then followed with a string of top five placing's, including two podium finishes. Few know about Alisa's path to the Olympics, particularly her constant striving for perfection, precision in planning, dedication of training and rehabilitation from injuries. For example, she competed at the Olympics with two broken ankles! This followed a series of nine concussion's, a broken collarbone, a broken hand, a separated shoulder, a torn knee ligament and a torn achilles' tendon. However, Alisa is the first to admit that it was all worth it, to become Australia's first-ever female (and first-ever snow sport) Winter Olympic gold medallist.
At the Torino 2006 Olympic Games Alisa Camplin overcame injury and a limited preparation to carry the flag for Australia at the Opening Ceremony and defy the odds to claim a stunning bronze medal, becoming the first person in history to win back to back Olympic aerial medals. Alisa is 2003 World Champion and 2003-2005 World Record holder and two times World Cup Grand Prix Champion. There is only one other woman in the history of the sport who has held the three titles (Olympic, World and World Cup Grand Prix) at once and she is only the third woman in freestyle skiing history to claim seven victories in the one season. Alisa won the 2002 Female Sportswoman Of The Year Award and the 2002 Don Award. Alisa commentated on the Gymnastics & Diving at the Athens Olympics & World Aerials at Mt Buller in 2004. Alisa was a judge on Nine's Torvill & Dean's Dance on Ice series in 2006 & was recently part of the PM's 2020 Summit in the Health category.
Since Alisa’s retirement in 2006 from her profesional aerial jumping career When she’s not delivering key note speeches or running high performance corporate employee programs, Alisa can be found at IBM Australia were she has resumed her 12 year career as Manager of the Multi Vendor Maintenance and Technical Support business.