One of Australia’s biggest Olympics heroes is honoured for risking his life to save four girls from death

The term ‘doing a Bradbury’ has taken on a whole new meaning.

Steven Bradbury became synonymous with unexpected success after his shock victory at the 2002 Winter Olympics.

Now the former skater is being praised for his bravery after saving four girls from drowning on a beach on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in March 2022.

Bradbury was famously the last man standing in the men’s 1000 meters short course final in Salt Lake City, winning Australia’s first Olympic gold medal.

Some twenty years later he went into ‘Olympic mode’ again to rescue the four teenagers from rough seas off Caloundra.

Bradbury (pictured who won gold at the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Games) was honored after saving the lives of four girls on a Queensland beach

His heroics have been officially recognized after he was presented with a brave conduct award by the Governor of Queensland in Brisbane this week.

“With the Olympic gold, I had worked my guts out for 14 years to get myself into that position,” Bradbury said.

“I’m not sure how you compare it to an award for bravery.

‘But it was nice to know that the body and mind could switch back to Olympic mode for a few minutes if necessary.’

Bradbury was teaching his son to surf in 2022 when he saw what he thought was a tree trunk in the huge swell.

“Then I realized it was a human head,” he said. ‘I immediately clicked into gear. I sent my son to the lifeguards and paddled out.”

Bradbury first encountered a 12-year-old girl.

“I had never seen anyone look so scared in my life,” he said. “Then I saw three more heads further up.”

He took the 12-year-old to shore before paddling out to the others.

‘One was hyperventilating and one was panicking. They were pounded wave after wave,” he said.

“I got all three on the board, but we had no momentum.”

Steven Bradbury receives his bravery award from Queensland Governor Jeannette Young at Government House

Bradbury called the rescue of the girls on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast in 2022 ‘one of the best days of my life’

Suddenly, the lifeguard who had alerted his son arrived on the scene and plucked two girls from the water.

Bradbury brought the other youth to shore before all three teens had their medical diagnoses correct.

‘The girl I pulled out of the water first then ran up to me on the beach and hugged me. She said, ‘thank you for saving my life,'” he said.

“Then it dawned on me that I had done something really cool.”

Bradbury received his award for bravery from Queensland Governor Jeannette Young, earning praise from the Australian Olympic Committee.

“We have always admired Steven for the way he made history on the ice, but his actions reflect an incredible achievement – saving four young lives,” said AOC Chairman Ian Chesterman.

“He always had tremendous courage as an athlete and that has served him well here.”

Bradbury may have won historic gold, but the four-time Olympian rated the 2022 save as “one of the best days of my life.”

“I don’t feel like a bravery award is necessary, but I happily accept it and am quite proud of it,” he said.

‘I will take the feeling of knowing that you saved people’s lives with me to my grave.’