Australia Strikes Gold At Paris 2024 Olympics
The Paris 2024 Olympics has come to a spectacular close after 19 days of intense competition from the world’s best athletes.
Bidding a fond au revoir to the City of Light, the Australian Olympic contingent return home with an historic medal haul, finishing fourth in the overall medal tally 53 in total. Scoring 18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze, it’s a record breaking performance and Australia’s best Olympics result ever.
Millions of Australian viewers all over the country (and the world) tuned in to cheer on and support our athletes, revelling in the victories while sharing in the pain of disappointment.
Among the many highlights, and a handful of unfortunate fumbles, the swimming team dominated the campaign, winning 18 medals. Ariarne Titmus defended her 400m freestyle title with a gold medal win, as Kaylee McKeown took gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke events.
Aussie flagbearer Jessica Fox and sister Naomie created a new dynasty in the canoe single, kayak single and kayak cross events, sharing golds across all three events. Keegan Palmer and Arisa Trew set a new standard for Olympic skateboarding with gold medal runs in their respective park comps. It’s a second Olympic gold for 21 year old Palmer, and Arisa has become Australia’s youngest gold medal Olympian at the age of 14.
Australia provided a strong showing in the athletics division. Nina Kennedy took gold in women’s pole vault, while silver medals were won by Nicola Olyslagers for high jump and Jessica Hull on the 1500m track.
In an extraordinary tale of redemption, Saya Sakakibara won gold in the women’s BMX, three years after a horrendous accident at the Tokyo Olympics, while Matthew Ebden and John Peers secured Australia’s first gold for tennis at the Olympics in 28 years.
Though the first (and perhaps last) appearance of breakdancing at the Olympics was overshadowed by the highly dubious performance of Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn, her teammate 16 year old B-Boy Jeff ‘J-Attack’ Dunne gave a formidable performance, despite being knocked out of a chance to earn a medal.
In just eight years, Australia will welcome the world to its doorstep for the Brisbane Olympics in 2032. It will be the third time Australia hosts the Olympics following Melbourne in 1956 and Sydney in 2000
To every medal winner and member of the Paris 2024 Australian Olympic team, congratulations for your tremendous efforts and achievements while proudly representing our country at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad.
The Paris 2024 Olympics did not disappoint in providing the world with a memorable display of elite athleticism while showcasing the cultural vibrancy of its host city.
From the momentous extravagances of its opening and closing ceremonies to the athletic prowess and memeworthy lack thereof, we have been left with plenty to talk about for the next four years until the Los Angeles Olympics in 2028.
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