Dawn Fraser’s grandson attends luge training course in Nagano

Nagano (RWH)  The grandson of Australian swimming legend Dawn Fraser (Photo: second from left) has completed an International Luge Federation (FIL) training course in Nagano. 12-year-old Jackson was one of a group of four talented young Australians who spent a fortnight training on the 1998 Olympic track under the watchful eye of Koji Kuriyama, FIL Sport Coordinator for Asia.

Jackson was accompanied by his mother and his grandmother Dawn, the first swimmer in the world to win gold in the 100-metre freestyle at three Olympic Games (1956, 1960, and 1964). The now 78-year-old set a total of 39 world records during her illustrious swimming career. In 1983 she was declared Australia’s greatest Olympian, and was the first athlete inducted into Australia’s Sporting Hall of Fame in 1985.

The visit to Japan was the first time that the group of youngsters, who are coached by former luger Karen Flynn, had ever come into contact with snow.