Melinda Gainsford-Taylor AM

Melinda is one of Australia’s most accomplished sprinters and a true trailblazer in track and field. She began her athletics journey at the age of nine with Little Athletics in Narromine, NSW, and quickly rose through the ranks under coach Jackie Byrnes, becoming the world’s number-one ranked 100m sprinter at just 14.

During her illustrious career, Melinda represented Australia at three Olympic Games (1992, 1996 and Sydney 2000), serving as female captain of the national Track & Field team. She claimed multiple national sprint double crowns, set enduring Australian records in the 100m and 200m, won gold at the 1995 World Indoor Championships in Barcelona — the first Australian since Betty Cuthbert to claim a world sprint title — and earned medals at the Commonwealth Games, alongside record-breaking victories across the National Grand Prix circuit.

Since retiring from competition, Melinda has remained a driving force in Australian athletics as a National Selector and coach, running programs and clinics nationwide to inspire young athletes and enhance performance across all sporting codes. She also shares her insights on high performance, resilience and goal setting through corporate engagements, media appearances, and motivational speaking.

Melinda is a sought-after guest speaker, combining her sporting achievements with relatable lessons on dedication, overcoming challenges, and achieving success. She regularly inspires school groups, sporting teams, corporates, and audiences seeking practical strategies for performance, motivation and personal growth. An experienced MC, she has hosted events for sponsors, sporting bodies, corporate organisations and media, bringing energy, professionalism, and a down-to-earth perspective to every engagement.

A country girl at heart, Melinda’s natural, unaffected demeanour, combined with her achievements at the highest levels of sport, offers audiences a unique and authentic view of success — one grounded in hard work, resilience, and humility.