Australia’s first ever Olympic Winter Games medallist in skeleton, Jackie Narracott, has announced her retirement from competition.
In a historic career which included representing Australia at two Olympic Winter Games, Narracott will be remembered for winning Australia’s first ever sliding sports World Cup gold medal in January 2022 in St Mortiz, and a few weeks later claiming another Australian first, with the silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games.
Hailing from Brisbane, Narracott’s Olympic dream came from stories about her uncle Paul Narracott who was the first Australian to compete at both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games. He ran in the men’s 100m and 200m at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 before participating in the two-man bobsleigh at Albertville 1992.
Narracott took her first ride on a skeleton sled in 2011 and quickly made her skeleton World Cup skeleton debut at the end of 2014. 34 years after her uncle’s debut, Narracott made her own Olympic dreams come true as she represented Australia in the 2018 winter games in Pyeongchang, finishing in 16th place.
In an incredible performance turnaround in mid-January 2022, Narracott broke though for her first medal and World Cup win at St Moritz in Switzerland. This smashed Narracott’s previous personal best World Cup finish of seventh place, achieved in 2016,
In less than one month after St Moritz, Narracott attended her second Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and made sporting history with an almost faultless silver-medal on the biggest stage of all against the world’s best. Narracott showed nerves of steel over two days and four runs of competition in a remarkable performance to secure Australia’s fourth and final medal at its most successful Winter Games so far.
The 33-year-old who had battled injury in recent times, reflected on her outstanding 13-year-career in the sport.
“I am retiring from skeleton, the last 12-18 months have been a journey to get from winning the medal in Beijing, to then taking the year off and having knee surgery at the beginning of the year, the rehab from that confirmed that I don’t have the mental or emotional capability reserves to do this again.
“As much as I would ideally love a World Championship medal, and particularly with this year’s one being in Lake Placid on my learning track, I can’t do it. To compete with the girls who are the best in the world, I know what I would have to put myself through and that is another Olympic season, and there’s nothing left.
“The end of an era, and the end of me being an athlete, and that’s a hard transition to make, when in my head I have been an athlete since I was nine. All I ever wanted to be was an Olympian, so to get there twice I am very proud of that, and to medal is phenomenal and well beyond anything I thought I would ever get when I first started.
“To everyone who has been a part of my journey from when I was nine and just starting though to the last couple of years, thank you. There is no way I would be sitting here with my achievements without your help.
“It’s been long, it’s been fun, I hope I am not the last, I want my achievements to ensure the next generation to go and shoot for their dreams. Just because we come from a small nation without a track, it doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”
Newly appointed Chef de Mission for the Australian Team to compete at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games - Alisa Camplin-Warner AM Quotes
“The end of an extraordinary career, what Jackie achieved in Beijing was just phenomenal, the preparation that she put in to peak at that exact moment is something she and Australia will never forget, and I am sure she will enjoy finding her next thing in life she wants to apply herself to.
“She is a remarkable human and extraordinary athlete, and has such a deep understanding about what it takes to succeed, particularly in sliding sports. With the QAS supporting our Bobsleigh and winter sliding athletes, it’s just fantastic she’s going into the system now to support the next generation to help pay it forward.”
Australian Olympic Committee President - Ian Chesterman Quotes
“Jackie is one of the athletes that I admired most during my time working in sport and with teams. She went on to win that incredible silver medal, but she did it for years and years on the smell of an oily rag, she had to maintain her own motivation and desires.
“She got herself in the right form at the right time, so that was a fantastic reward for her for what was a long career of striving almost solo on that woman’s skeleton tour to produce that end result and that success, and I can only wish her the very best.
“I am delighted she will remain in the sports system, she has a lot to give and others will really learn from her and understand her empathy of having to do it really tough and yet still have the perseverance and resilience to get though and ultimately succeed.”
OWIA CEO – Geoff Lipshut Quotes
“Jackie’s is a remarkable story or perseverance and determination; she found a way to do her sport all over the world with limited support over eight years and then in the space of one month in 2022 capped her career with her maiden World Cup win and an Olympic silver medal.
“Jackie’s efforts over many years are a credit to herself and family and the OWIA (Olympic Winter Institute of Australia) together with our partner QAS (Queensland Academy of Sport) are very proud to have helped Jackie be an Australian winter sport trailblazer.”
In a historic career which included representing Australia at two Olympic Winter Games, Narracott will be remembered for winning Australia’s first ever sliding sports World Cup gold medal in January 2022 in St Mortiz, and a few weeks later claiming another Australian first, with the silver medal at the Beijing Olympic Winter Games.
Hailing from Brisbane, Narracott’s Olympic dream came from stories about her uncle Paul Narracott who was the first Australian to compete at both a Summer and Winter Olympic Games. He ran in the men’s 100m and 200m at the Los Angeles Games in 1984 before participating in the two-man bobsleigh at Albertville 1992.
Narracott took her first ride on a skeleton sled in 2011 and quickly made her skeleton World Cup skeleton debut at the end of 2014. 34 years after her uncle’s debut, Narracott made her own Olympic dreams come true as she represented Australia in the 2018 winter games in Pyeongchang, finishing in 16th place.
In an incredible performance turnaround in mid-January 2022, Narracott broke though for her first medal and World Cup win at St Moritz in Switzerland. This smashed Narracott’s previous personal best World Cup finish of seventh place, achieved in 2016,
In less than one month after St Moritz, Narracott attended her second Olympic Winter Games in Beijing and made sporting history with an almost faultless silver-medal on the biggest stage of all against the world’s best. Narracott showed nerves of steel over two days and four runs of competition in a remarkable performance to secure Australia’s fourth and final medal at its most successful Winter Games so far.
The 33-year-old who had battled injury in recent times, reflected on her outstanding 13-year-career in the sport.
“I am retiring from skeleton, the last 12-18 months have been a journey to get from winning the medal in Beijing, to then taking the year off and having knee surgery at the beginning of the year, the rehab from that confirmed that I don’t have the mental or emotional capability reserves to do this again.
“As much as I would ideally love a World Championship medal, and particularly with this year’s one being in Lake Placid on my learning track, I can’t do it. To compete with the girls who are the best in the world, I know what I would have to put myself through and that is another Olympic season, and there’s nothing left.
“The end of an era, and the end of me being an athlete, and that’s a hard transition to make, when in my head I have been an athlete since I was nine. All I ever wanted to be was an Olympian, so to get there twice I am very proud of that, and to medal is phenomenal and well beyond anything I thought I would ever get when I first started.
“To everyone who has been a part of my journey from when I was nine and just starting though to the last couple of years, thank you. There is no way I would be sitting here with my achievements without your help.
“It’s been long, it’s been fun, I hope I am not the last, I want my achievements to ensure the next generation to go and shoot for their dreams. Just because we come from a small nation without a track, it doesn’t mean it’s not possible.”
Newly appointed Chef de Mission for the Australian Team to compete at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Olympic Winter Games - Alisa Camplin-Warner AM Quotes
“The end of an extraordinary career, what Jackie achieved in Beijing was just phenomenal, the preparation that she put in to peak at that exact moment is something she and Australia will never forget, and I am sure she will enjoy finding her next thing in life she wants to apply herself to.
“She is a remarkable human and extraordinary athlete, and has such a deep understanding about what it takes to succeed, particularly in sliding sports. With the QAS supporting our Bobsleigh and winter sliding athletes, it’s just fantastic she’s going into the system now to support the next generation to help pay it forward.”
Australian Olympic Committee President - Ian Chesterman Quotes
“Jackie is one of the athletes that I admired most during my time working in sport and with teams. She went on to win that incredible silver medal, but she did it for years and years on the smell of an oily rag, she had to maintain her own motivation and desires.
“She got herself in the right form at the right time, so that was a fantastic reward for her for what was a long career of striving almost solo on that woman’s skeleton tour to produce that end result and that success, and I can only wish her the very best.
“I am delighted she will remain in the sports system, she has a lot to give and others will really learn from her and understand her empathy of having to do it really tough and yet still have the perseverance and resilience to get though and ultimately succeed.”
OWIA CEO – Geoff Lipshut Quotes
“Jackie’s is a remarkable story or perseverance and determination; she found a way to do her sport all over the world with limited support over eight years and then in the space of one month in 2022 capped her career with her maiden World Cup win and an Olympic silver medal.
“Jackie’s efforts over many years are a credit to herself and family and the OWIA (Olympic Winter Institute of Australia) together with our partner QAS (Queensland Academy of Sport) are very proud to have helped Jackie be an Australian winter sport trailblazer.”
Images - Credit IBSF/ Viesturs Lacis Rekords
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