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Grant Hackett, Hayley Lewis, Liz Ellis and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor will join Sunrise sports presenter Mark Beretta to bring Sunrise viewers daily news highlights of the Games.

Grant Hackett is one of history’s greatest athletes. He has won multiple world titles and is an Olympic Gold medallist.

Hayley Lewis is also a world champion, a dual Olympic medallist and an open water swimming champion.

Liz Ellis is captain of the Australian netball team. She’s a world champion, a player of the year and a player’s player of the year.

Melinda Gainsford-Taylor is one of Australia’s most competitive athletes. She’s a world champion sprinter, undefeated in 12 major races.

Grant, Hayley, Liz and Melinda will be based in Melbourne with Mark Beretta for the duration of the Games alongside the rest of the Sunrise family including David Koch, Melissa Doyle, Natalie Barr and Grant Denyer.

Sunrise will broadcast live from the Seven studios in Melbourne for the duration of the event from Wednesday 15 March until Friday 24 March.

Sunrise is calling for members of the public to be a part of the studio audience and meet some of the nation’s greatest athletes as we celebrate the biggest party of the year.

Helping create the carnival atmosphere will be bands such as the Rogue Traders, The Whitlams and Pete Murray as well as games, food stalls and prizes to be won.

Sunrise is Australia’s No.1 breakfast show and can be seen Monday to Friday on the Seven network.

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Swimmer Grant Hackett took out the top prize, the Dawn Fraser Medal, at the Australian Sport Awards in Sydney last night.

Hackett also took out the male athlete of the year title, while fellow swimmer Leisel Jones won the female athlete of the year award.

Hackett’s superb 2005 included an assault on the world championships in Montreal, where he won the 400 metres and claimed his fourth straight 1,500m world title.

Jones won three gold medals at the world championships including a new world record in the 200m breast stroke.

The Sydney Swans took out the team of the year award while their coach Paul Roos was coach of the year after leading the side to the AFL premiership.