About
Every year, athletes who have achieved at the highest level of their sport are selected for induction. The athlete must have been retired for two years to qualify.
Since 1979, 394 sportsmen and women representing 59 sports have been added to the Honour Roll.
Sporting icons such as Sir Donald Bradman, Dawn Fraser, Shane Gould and Dally Messenger are included in this prestigious list. More recent champions include Ian Thorpe, Layne Beachley and Michael O’Loughlin. Exhibitions showcasing the museum’s significant collection help bring our sporting heritage to life.
Athletes are approved for induction by the Minister for Sport following recommendations from the Hall of Champions Selection Committee and New South Wales peak sporting bodies.
NSW Champions of Sport
Congratulations to John Forbes, Heather Garriock, Mathew Helm, Brett Lee, David Palmer OAM who were inducted to the NSW Hall of Champions and Layne Beachley AO elevated to Legend status at the 2023 rebel NSW Champions of Sport Awards on Monday 20 November at Darling Harbour.
2023 Inductees, from left: Mat Helm (Diving), Layne Beachley AO, Legend (Surfing), Heather Garriock (Football), John Forbes (Sailing) 
2023 Hall of Champions Legend Layne Beachley AO (Surfing) 
2023 Hall of Champions Inductee John Forbes (Sailing)
| 2023 Inductees | Sport |
|---|---|
| John Forbes | Sailing |
| Heather Garriock | Football |
| Mathew Helm | Diving |
| Brett Lee | Cricket |
| David Palmer OAM | Squash |
| Layne Beachley AO - Legend | Surfing |
Current exhibition
Olympic Champions In Paris
In 1924 three Australian athletes won gold at the Olympic Games in Paris. Those athletes are Hall of Champions honourees - swimmer Andrew ‘Boy’ Charlton, athlete Nick Winter and diver Dick Eve.
On display in this exhibition are Charlton’s gold, silver and bronze medals, Eve’s breathtaking gold-medal vase and Winters’ running spikes.
Astonishingly, all three athletes were from the Sydney suburb of Manly, and this iconic coastal beach is featured in the display.
Paris first hosted the Olympic Games in 1900. This is where Hall of Champions honouree Freddie Lane won Australia’s first gold medal in swimming This medal can be seen in the exhibition.
One hundred years on, 2024 will undoubtedly create Hall of Champions athletes of the future.
