'Our hearts are broken': Daughter of Aussie Olympic greats dies at 33

Sports Reporter

Mon, 14 Sept 2020, 4:33 am·2-min read

Jaimi Kenny and Lisa Curry are pictured in a shot from Instagram. — Jaimi Kenny, the daughter of Olympic greats Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny, has died after a long-term illness at the age of 33. Picture: Instagram/lisacurry

Australian sporting greats Lisa Curry and Grant Kenny have announced the sad news of the death of their daughter, Jaimi Kenny, at the age of 33.

In a statement published by Queensland newspaper The Courier Mail, the former couple announced their eldest daughter had died after battling an unnamed long-term illness.

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Jaimi passed away at Sunshine Coast University Hospital on Monday morning.

“It is with a very heavy heart that Lisa and I confirm that our beautiful daughter Jaimi has lost her battle with a long-term illness and passed away peacefully in hospital this morning in the company of loving family,” a statement from Kenny read.

“Jaimi will forever be remembered as a caring, bright and loving soul who always put others before herself.

“Our hearts are broken and the pain is immense but we must move forward cherishing every wonderful moment we got to share with our treasured first child.

Jaimi Kenny is her father Grant and mother Lisa Curry. — Jaimi Kenny is pictured next to her father Grant and behind mother Lisa Curry, following her mother's announcement of heart surgery in 2008. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

“We thank the incredible team at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital for their tireless commitment to making her better and giving us as the extra time we were able to spend with her.

"It goes without saying that this is a very difficult time for family and friends and we trust we will all be allowed to grieve in privacy.”

Jaimi is survived by her parents, who split in 2009, as well as her brother Jett and sister Morgan.

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Jaimi Kenny grew up familiar with the circus that comes with sporting stardom in Australia as the daughter of two successful athletes.

Lisa Curry rose to prominence as part of the relay team that won silver at the 1978 Commonwealth Games in Edmonton, before going on to further heights at the 1982 event.

At those Games in Brisbane she scored three gold medals and a bronze, following that effort up at the 1990 Auckland Commonwealth Games with four gold medals.

Curry also competed at the Olympics in 1980, 1984 and 1992.

Grant Kenny shot to prominence in Australian sport after winning both the Australian Junior and Open Iron Man Championships on the same day in 1980.

He later turned his attention to canoeing, where he won bronze in the 1200m K-2 sprint at the 1982 Los Angeles Olympics.