New Survey Reports Swimming Is Australia’s Most Popular Sport, Thorpe Is Top Athlete

SYDNEY, March 15. A new report from the Australian Broadcasting Commission concludes that swimming is Australia's most popular sport. More Aussies are interested in swimming than any other sport.

The finding is contained in the Sweeney Sports Report, released today.

Swimming was regarded as the number one sport with 64 per cent of respondents interested. Tennis, cricket and Australian Rules football also polled well. The survey covered 56 sports and questioned 1,500 people.

World champion Ian Thorpe was judged as the most appropriate sports star to be used by sponsors.

Ninety-seven per cent of the surveyed group say they watched sport on television in the past 12 months while a third of those surveyed listened to sport on radio.

Attendances were generally steady in all sports, but rugby union recorded a 3 per cent increase and is now the fourth most attended sport behind the AFL, cricket and rugby league.

The report also shows people using the Internet to access sports information is also increasing.

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