But as the waterworks started, Clancy confirmed her journey with Mariafe Artacho del Solar would continue as they seek to be Australia’s first beach volleyball gold medallists since Nat Cook and Kerri Pottharst. Artacho del Solar added: “Don’t make us cry again!” “It’s definitely very special and unique, this bond that we have. It’s very hard to put into words. It is not something that you just have with anyone. “So we’re super grateful and I wouldn’t want to do this journey with anyone else.”

“But the philanthropic support of Gina Rinehart is something very special. Not only has Gina’s support been integral to helping Mariafe and Taliqua reach success, it underpins our whole beach volleyball program.”
“Thank you Mrs R, you’re a massive part of our team’s achievements”.

It has been a big Olympics for the athlete’s favourite billionaire Gina Rinehart, who when she wasn’t cheering on gold medals in the swimming pool with legend Dawn Fraser has been giving her workers a break to watch the action from Tokyo.

Olympic legend Dawn Fraser wishes billionaire Gina Rinehart was around when she was at the peak of her swimming career. Fraser, who famously won gold at three Olympics, considers “Mrs Rinehart” to be one of the secret weapons behind Australia’s success at the Tokyo Games, where the country’s athletes have won the most gold medals in history. The mining magnate is one of Australia’s biggest Olympic fans and contributes up to $10m annually to four Olympic sports: swimming, rowing, volleyball and artistic swimming.

But as Australia digests the week that was and contemplates how to better it, it’s worth pointing out that 11 of the 17 gold medals and one bronze came in disciplines in which the living costs of athletes were not covered by their sporting organisations or government funding, but were paid for by one benefactor alone: the country’s richest person, Gina Rinehart.

Rinehart makes an annual $1.4m investment in Australia’s top 50 rowers, directly funding a weekly wage of $525 each to the best 25 men and top 25 women, allowing them to train full-time at the sports training bases.

She joined the rowing ranks after the Rio Olympics and the funding has allowed the rowers to train together rather than be trained by different coaches in their home states.

Rinehart has immersed ­herself in the Games.

Clancy’s journey started with Cathy Freeman’s stunning win in the 400m in Sydney, Artacho del Solar’s started with a signed postcard from Cook and Pottharst as a kid. Artacho del Solar said: “We want to inspire the next generation to take up beach volleyball and we are just so grateful to everyone that has supported us. “The postcard, which was my sister’s , said go for gold and follow your dreams and that lit a fire in me … I want to be on the podium and I want to be a gold medallist.”

Patron Gina Rinehart recognised for her contribution to sport.

It was a much more dominant set that ended 21-13 in Australia’s favour. The victory sees Australia secure its first beach volleyball medal since Natalie Cook and Pottharst won at Sydney 2000.

Following the disappointing results in London, mining magnate Gina Rinehart of Hancock Prospecting quietly stepped in with a huge financial contribution to sponsor four different Olympic disciplines; swimming, rowing, volleyball and artistic swimming. That was clearly a turning point. Now, this long-term commitment, involving establishing training centres and paying salaries, has borne fruit.

“We are one of the best teams in the world,” Clancy said. “Everybody is, that’s why it’s the Olympics. “It was tough that we had to face Mel and Sarah this early, but it’s such a great opportunity that we got to take on that battle early. “Now we just have to do it all over again.”