Two-time Olympic gold medallist Melanie Wright had a special reason for coming home to the Sunshine Coast – and revealed why she’s loving being back.
After spending 11 years on the Gold Coast, where she forged her swimming career, the 34-year-old is delighted to be back.
After graduating from Bond University with a Bachelor of Medical Studies and Doctor of Medicine, she has settled into an internship at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.
Dr Wright has returned to the region with husband Chris, an ex-Olympic swimmer, and children Madison, 4, and Thomas, 1.
“It’s been awesome,” she said. “We were umming and aahing about whether we should stay on the Gold Coast or come up here and the opportunity came up (at the hospital), so we jumped at it. It’s really nice to be back home in familiar surroundings.
“For our kids to be raised in the place where I grew up is nice.”
Fish and chips at The Spit, play sessions at Chipmunks and shopping trips to Sunshine Plaza are now part of the schedule for the family.
“It’s definitely different being a parent on the Sunshine Coast compared to when I was here as a kid,” she said.
Dr Wright is one of the region’s greatest sports products.
Nambour born, she didn’t start swimming in earnest until she was 14.
But she ultimately became a key member of Australian freestyle relay teams for the better part of a decade.
She won gold as part of the 4x200m freestyle squad at the 2008 Beijing Olympics.
She retired due to illness in 2010, but after almost a year out of the sport made a comeback and went on to anchor the 4x100m team to gold and a then Olympic record at the 2012 London Games.
She also claimed a gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in 2014, when she helped the team claim a then 4x100m world record.
Two world championships victories were among other shining moments.
She is a three-time Sunshine Coast Sports Star of the Year winner and was inducted into the Sunshine Coast Sports Hall of Fame in 2016, after retiring that year.
Her career path has changed significantly, and she now relishes her work as a doctor.
“It’s different, but there are also some similarities,” she said.
“You do a lot of preparation and training and learning, and then it comes down to the moment when you need all that. You’ve got to be ready.”
Dr Wright said she’s been busy in her first year out of medical school.
“During the internship, I work in a number of different departments around the hospital,” she said.
“I’ve just finished a term with the paediatric department, and it was absolutely awesome.
“I loved every minute of it and it’s something I would consider as a possible future specialty.”
Dr Wright will also spend time in other departments, including surgery, general medicine and emergency.
“It’s fairly general at the moment but then I’ll need to decide what I’m going to do,” she said.
“As a junior doctor I’ve been well supported by the seniors, who have been around the hospital for a long time and they’re very experienced. I’ve really enjoyed the opportunity to learn from them.”
Meanwhile, Mr Wright is enjoying his new role as head coach at Cotton Tree Swim Club.
The 31-year-old replaced ex-Olympian Janelle Pallister, after she moved to the Gold Coast to be a coach with the high-profile squad at Griffith University.
“It’s a good program and the staff and pool look after me well,” Chris said.
“I’ve found the transition quite smooth.”
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“I was sort of unsure what to expect because I’m still quite a young coach.”
“It’s a learning experience for me but hopefully there’s good things to come.”
One of his charges, Jamie Perkins, won the Australian girls under-16 400m freestyle title at the Gold Coast last week.
“We love it up here (on the Sunshine Coast),” he said.
With new jobs and young children, the couple have been kept on their toes.
“We moved in (to a house in Buderim) about 10 days ago. It’s all systems go at the moment, but we wouldn’t have it any other way,” Mr Wright said.
