Dawn Fraser, 87, makes rare public appearance as she attends the Sport Australia Hall of Fame in Melbourne

Retired freestyle champion Dawn Fraser made a rare appearance in Melbourne on Monday night.

The eight-time Olympic medallist, 87, stepped out at the Sport Australia Hall of Fame Gala Dinner at Crown Palladium wearing an all-black ensemble.

Fraser opted for a classic silhouette as the 15-year world record holder for 100-metre freestyle donned simple slacks beneath a black dress.

She accessorised with a gold cross around her neck, stacked atop another necklace, and a delicate gold watch.

The former professional swimmer elevated her look by fastening a yellow rose and her Member of the Order of Australia insignia to her dress.

Fraser was last seen publicly during the 2024 Paris Olympics when she attended the 4x200m freestyle relay final.

The swimming legend beamed with pride as she watched Australia win the race, with it later being revealed one of the triumphant stars was her goddaughter.

Lani Pallister, who was forced to withdraw from the earlier 1500m freestyle heats after testing positive for Covid, didn't even know if she would be passed fit to swim.

Thankfully the endurance specialist was cleared and she seized her moment alongside Mollie O'Callaghan, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus to claim gold ahead of the US and China.

'I bawled my eyes out when I got Covid, I honestly thought I'd be out of that relay completely,' Pallister said post race.

'The medical staff at the AOC did an incredible job looking after me and all the other athletes on the Australian team that have Covid.

'To be here standing with the girls, I don't think I could ask for anything more from my Olympic experience.'

Fraser, who remarkably won gold in the 100m freestyle at three successive Olympics from 1956 to 1964, knows better than most what Pallister endured as an athlete.

She was overcome with tears of joy in the stands, as the Aussie swim girls continued to dominate in the La Défense Arena.

Prior to contracting Covid, Pallister overcame an eating disorder and heart surgery to qualify for the Games.

She previously tried to nail down a spot on the Olympic team in 2021 for the Tokyo Games but was diagnosed with supraventricular tachycardia—a heart condition that causes an elevated or irregular heartbeat.

The Sydney based athlete was also battling a secret eating disorder.

At one stage, Pallister was living off just two meals a day and obsessively compared her physique to other swimmers.

The Olympic rookie was coached by mother Janelle, a Seoul 1988 Olympian and Auckland 1990 Commonwealth Games gold medallist.