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}} Natalie Louise Cook OAM (born January 19 , 1975 ) is an Australia n professional Beach Volleyball player and Olympic gold medallist. Cook was born in Townsville, Queensland . She was the Dux of her high school, and subsequently studied medicine. At the same time, she took up Volleyball , captaining the Australian Indoor Junior Team in 1992 . In 1993 , she began playing beach volleyball, before giving up her academic career and going professional the following year. She partnered with Kerri Pottharst , and together, they represented Australia at the Atlanta Olympics in 1996 , winning a bronze medal - the very first time that beach volleyball had been an Olympic sport. In the same year, the pair won a silver medal at the world championships, and came first in the World Tour Event in Japan . Cook and Pottharst split for several years afterwards, but reunited in time for the Sydney Olympics in 2000 . Before the games, they finished third in the World Tour Events in France and Portugal . At the games themselves, the pair dominated the competition, ultimately winning the gold medal. In the aftermath of their Olympic win, the pair were awarded the Order Of Australia , Australia's highest honor. Cook and Pottharst were included in the Fédération Internationale De Volleyball 's Team of the Decade. After the Olympics, Pottharst retired, and Cook found a new partner in Nicole Sanderson . They won a bronze medal at the 2003 Beach Volleyball World Championships in Rio De Janeiro , and by the end of the 2003 world tour, were ranked fourth in the world. They were subsequently selected to represent Australia at the 2004 Athens Olympics . After a promising start, they ultimately finished out of medal contention, losing to teams from Brazil and the United States . Cook currently resides in Brisbane . In addition to her sporting career, she tours on the public speaking circuit and has recently launched her own beach volleyball-related business, ''Sandstorm''. BOOKS
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