Inaugural Sports Medicine Australia (SMA) Northern Territory President and foundation member, Dr Geoffrey Thompson has been named the 2020 Northern Territory Australian of the Year.
Thompson has a vast amount of medical experience and has enjoyed a distinguished sports medicine career that has seen him take on high level roles at some of the world’s largest sporting events.
These roles have included:
- Chief Medical Officer for the Australian Paralympic Committee since 2008
- Consultant Medical Officer for the Summer and Winer Australian Paralympic team
- Team Doctor for the Australian Men’s Hockey team
- Chief Medical Officer for the V8 Supercars in Darwin
- Sports Physician at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and the 2008 Paralympics
- Medical Director of Alice Springs Masters Games (1986-2013)
After graduating, Thompson joined the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) as a flight surgeon and medical officer. As part of his role with the RAAF, Thompson was responsible for overseeing the effort to evacuate Darwin after Cyclone Tracy. His efforts were nothing short of heroic. Thompson assessed, treated and evacuated severely injured citizens despite losing his own home and possessions during the cyclone.
Thompson has achieved so much throughout his renowned medical career and this recognition is just rewards for all his hard work.
