Barwon Heads resident and two-time Winter Olympic gold medallist Jakara Anthony has been awarded the inaugural Geelong Medal.
Mayor Stretch Kontelj said he can’t think of a more deserving first winner.
“She was hoping to win the individual mogul event, didn’t win it, and then had to get her mind straight so that three days later she won the dual moguls. There’s just a huge story behind that,” he said.
Anthony’s win at Milano Cortina 2026 saw her become the first Australian to win two gold medals at the Winter Olympics, having claimed victory in the moguls at Beijing 2022.
“To honour that, we felt that we needed to create the highest civic honour that the City can bestow, which will now be awarded very sparingly when an individual or a team achieves something we believe is truly of an international level,” Cr Kontelj said.
Reflecting on her experience growing up in the region, Anthony said there’s so much at our doorstep.
“It’s been really exciting to get home post Olympics and share the medal with everyone and come to events like this, receiving the Geelong Medal… it’s super special,” she said.
“What’s cool about the Greater Geelong region for young athletes is just how active the lifestyle is down here, and how many sporting opportunities you have, all the kind of same opportunities you would have in a bigger city, but you’ve also got the coast just half an hour away, or for some people living right on it.
“I’ve been living down this way since I was about three years old… getting to live that coastal lifestyle with such great people around, even though I spend most of my life at the snow, it’s a bit of a contradiction, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
