ESPN crowns Top Australian Sporting Moment from Last 30 Years – Almost 25 years to the day that Cathy Freeman raced her way to a historic gold medal at her home Olympics, Sydney 2000, her Women’s 400m triumph has been unveiled as the Biggest Australian Sporting Moment of the last 30 years by ESPN fans.
All September, ESPN Australia has been counting down the Top 30 Australian Sporting Moments, as part of the networks 30th Birthday celebrations – with ESPN today unveiling Cathy Freeman’s iconic Women’s 400m Gold Medal at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games as the #1 moment.
Cathy Freeman became the first ever athlete to win a gold medal and light the Olympic cauldron at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games and her winning 400m performance continues to live on in the heart of local sports fans.
Also featuring highly on ESPN Australia’s list was John Aloisi’s decisive penalty against Uruguay in 2005, that sent the Socceroos back to the FIFA World Cup for the first time in 32 years.
Football featured prominently in the countdown, with Tim Cahill’s double against Japan at the FIFA World Cup voted as the #4th best moment, Harry Kewell’s equalizer in the same World Cup against Croatia, the Matildas’ heart stopping penalty win against France at the 2023 Women’s World Cup and the Socceroos 2015 Asian Cup win, all making the final list.
Ash Barty was the only athlete to have two moments finish in the Top Ten, with her 2022 Australian Open win (7th) and 2021 Wimbledon win (10th) earning her the accolade.
Shane Warne narrowly missed out on joining Barty with two placings in the Top Ten, as his 700th Test wicket at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (8th) and his tragic passing (11th) remembered fondly.
Warne’s position as one of Australia’s greatest sportspeople is in no doubt though, he was ultimately involved in four of the moments that made the final 30 list, the most of anyone included.
Almost 200,000 votes were cast by ESPN fans across social media and digital.
ESPN Australia will premiere a ESPN30 countdown special at 8pm AEST on Tuesday September 23 on ESPN2. The ESPN30 special features Australian sporting legends Susie O’Neill, John Aloisi, James Tomkins, Andrew Gaze, Steven Bradbury, Bronte Campbell, Aaron Finch and more discussing the biggest sporting moments between 1995-2025 as chosen by the fans.
ESPN Australia celebrated 30 Years since entering the local market on September 19, 1995, at the birth of pay-television in the country.
The network has now evolved to become the most widely distributed premium sports network in Australia and New Zealand, across pay-television and streaming.
Click here for a comprehensive guide to ESPN Australia’s Top 30 Australian Sporting Moments.
ESPN Australia’s Top 30 Australian Sporting Moments from 1995-2025
- Cathy Freeman 400m Gold Medal at Sydney 2000
- John Aloisi’s deciding penalty vs Uruguay
- Cadel Evans wins the Tour de France
- Tim Cahill’s goals as Australia beat Japan at 2006 FIFA World Cup
- Steven Bradbury 2002 Winter Olympic gold medal
- Ian Thorpe 2004 Athens Olympics ‘Race of the Century’ gold
- Ash Barty 2022 Australian Open win
- Shane Warne 700th wicket at Melbourne Cricket Ground
- Kieren Perkins 1500m Gold Atlanta 1996 Olympics
- Ash Barty wins 2021 Wimbledon
- The Death of Shane Warne
- Ian Thorpe Sydney 2000 Gold Medal
- Mens 4x100m Sydney 2000 Gold ‘Smash Guitars’
- Australia’s 2006/07 Ashes 5-0 revenge vs England
- Harry Kewell equalizer vs Croatia at 2006 FIFA World Cup
- Adam Scott victory at 2013 Masters Golf
- Lleyton Hewitt wins 2002 Wimbledon
- Ari Titmus beats Katie Ledecky 2021
- Socceroos win 2015 Asian Cup on home soil
- Sally Pearson wins 2012 Olympic Gold Medal
- Oarsome Foursome win in Atlanta
- Jess Fox wins Tokyo gold medal
- Matilda’s penalty shoot out win over France
- Sandpapergate
- Wallabies 1999 Rugby World Cup win
- Mens One Day Cricket World Cup 2023 win
- Steve Hooker Beijing Olympic Gold 2008
- Boomers Rose Gold Tokyo Olympics
- Australian Opals 2006 FIBA World Cup win
- Steve Waugh last ball century in 2003
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ESPN crowns Top Australian Sporting Moment from Last 30 Years
