Two Australian icon’s came together to champion the cause of Aussie sports fans.
The event was the launch of the Australian Olympic Committee’s Boxing Kangaroo website – www.boxingkangaroo.com.au – by former Prime Minister and Australia’s number one sports fan, Bob Hawke.
Originally the mascot for Australia’s successful 1983 America’s Cup Team, the Boxing Kangaroo symbol is set to re-emerge as the powerful and emotive symbol to drive the emotions of Australian sports fans whenever our national teams are competing.
‘The Boxing Kangaroo is synonymous with Australia’s proud sporting heritage and truly captures the ‘Attitude of Australia’,’ according to Mr. Hawke.
It’s part of Australian folklore nowadays on how Australia won the America’s Cup against all odds and Mr. Hawke lead a nation in celebrating one of our finest victories on the international stage.
Mr. Hawke was today joined by sporting champions including commentator and former Olympic swimmer, Nicole Stevenson, swimming coach, Laurie Lawrence, former cricketer, Jeff Thomson, Australia 2 yachtsman, Rob Brown together with comedian Brian Doyle and Boxing Kangaroo fans to ensure Australians get behind their Australian international sports stars.
The official site of the Boxing Kangaroo icon contains a host of features designed to support Australian sport fans at home and across the world. Updated daily with information on teams and individuals representing Australia, sports fans can now keep themselves up to date on all the latest sporting gossip. If you register on the site it will also send you email newsletters on breaking sports news, so you can keep ahead of the game.
The site is interactive and users are encouraged to submit photos of fans in action, poems and sporting song lyrics to get the crowds going to the events. There are also 10 different Boxing-Kangaroo e-cards which members can send to friends, an Aussie sports quiz and a comprehensive sports event calendar. Information and pictures of Boxing Kangaroo merchandise including giant flags, stuffed toys, boxer shorts and ties is also included.
The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) are behind the development of the site, having bought the rights to that brand, however the mascot will cover all areas of Australian sporting prowess, wherever our athletes compete at an international level. The site functions as the ultimate sports club, providing Aussie sporting fans with all resources they need to keep up with sporting activity on the world stage. And, while the Boxing Kangaroo is not an Olympic Brand, it is owned by the AOC.
‘The Boxing Kangaroo has enormous appeal across a broad sports platform and represents a powerful vision war cry that symbolises Australia’s confident approach to sport,’ Mr. Hawke told guests at the launch held at the Sydney Media Centre.
The character, according to the AOC, has a huge amount of confidence in himself and likes to be a bit of a lark.
This larrikinism sees him hugely popular with all Australians as they are able to identify with and relate to this relaxed attitude. Most certainly, the Boxing Kangaroo is not a lout. He is assertive when it comes to defending his countries glory but is never aggressive or arrogant,’ the AOC declared.
For further information contact:
Mike Tancred at AOC Tel: (02) 9245 2000
Or Ian Dose at the Rowland Company
Tel: (02) 9241 3131 or Mobile: 0419 618 606
Source: AOC