- There’s been no shortage of memorable moments at the 2024 Summer Olympic Games (Paris).
- From triumphs of the human spirit to lifetimes of dedication culminating in heartbreak, what’s unfolded has certainly been cinematic.
- This article was updated as the Paris Olympics progressed.
As we hurtle past the finish line of the 2024 Paris Olympics, we thought it’d only be appropriate to reflect upon the Summer Games’ best highlights.
RELATED: How Much Are Gold Medallists Earning At The 2024 Paris Olympics?
Australia tallied an all-time best 18 gold medals, 19 silver medals, and 16 bronze medal — placing us fourth behind the resurgent United States of America (40 gold/44 silver/42 bronze), the People’s Republic of China (40 gold/27 silver/24 bronze), and Japan (20 gold/12 silver/13 bronze).
We also managed to pull ahead from the host nation in France (16 gold/26 silver/22 bronze). There’s a joke somewhere here about French hospitality…
Check out the stories that captivated our attention below.
August 12th
Where there’s a will, there’s a Tom Cruise
We don’t really have anything much to say about this. Exactly as predicted, exactly as advertised: it’s Tom Cruise jumping off a stadium for the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony… followed by a performance by highest-paid commentator Snoop Dogg and Dr Dre for the handover in LA.
Doesn’t get much more Hollywood than that. Let the countdown until the 2028 Los Angeles Games begin (skip to 16:47).
August 9th-11th
Ladies and gentlemen: Steph freakin’ Curry
After balling TF out against Serbia in a closely-contested semi-final match where he scored 36 points, Steph Curry reaffirmed his status as a generational talent with a gold medal-worthy performance for the ages against the host nation in France. And as an Olympics debutante, no less.
Like how do you lace a three over two people defending?! He’s a god, plain and simple. Sadly, given the ages of both himself and the unrivalled LeBron James, it’ll be a while until we see the next true iteration of basketball’s “Avengers.”
On a related note, Team USA’s women’s side achieved something equally insane after extending their Olympic Games dynasty: nine-time gold medal recipients, undefeated across 60 matches (since Barcelona in 1992).
Hitting 50
With Jessica Hull’s silver in the 1,500-metre run event and the Stingers’ hard-eared result against Spain in the water polo finals, Australia claimed its 50th medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
A heroic effort from everyone involved.
United in ridicule
Despite how divided the world feels right now, it’s nice to know we can all still band together and haw-haw something this farcical Nelson Muntz-style.
Side note: Australia deserves a gold medal for ensuring breaking never returns as an Olympic event again.
August 8th
The Stingers punch their ticket to the finals
Similar to the Opals, the Stingers have exacted vengeance on behalf of their male counterparts after defeating Team USA’s water polo side to confirm a shot at gold — with a bit of poetic symmetry.
Where the Sharks were defeated via penalty shootout after Team USA clawed back from being down 7-2, the Stingers found success in a post-regulation time nailbiter with the tournament favourites.
Our gals in green and gold are deservedly scheduled to contest the top podium step against Spain.
She’s a runner, she’s a track star
Jessica Hull is also en route to a shot at gold after comfortably qualifying second-fastest at the 1,500-metre semi-finals — 3:55.40 to Ethiopian race leader Diribe Welteji’s 3:55.10.
If she can manage to overtake legendary Kenyan runner Faith Kipyegon, who won the other semi, Ms Hull will go down in history as the first Australian since Herb Elliott (1960) to claim Olympic gold at the 1,500-metre event.
“It’s a privilege to be in the position where people are talking about me as a medal contender, let alone a gold medal contender,” said Jess Hull.
“Faith is not going to go down without an absolute fight, the Ethiopians are ready as well, so it’s going to be a mega-final on Saturday night.”
Steph Curry unlocks god mode; balls out against Serbia
“The Avengers of Basketball” have once again lived up to their name (and reputations) when they overtured a 17-point deficit against three-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic’s Serbian side, finishing at an painfully close 95-91.
And it was largely thanks to Steph Curry.
Complemented by LeBron James’ triple-double and Joel Embiid’s 19 points, the Babyfaced Assassin scored 36 crucial points to take Team USA to the finals. Which was always expected, of course. Though imagine the scenes if they’d been relegated to a bronze medal; to quote Kanye West, I guess we’ll never know.
Mark our words: USA vs France at the finals is going to be a movie.
August 7th
A night to remember
Any single-day result where a country can add four golds (and a handful of others) to their medal tally is cause for celebration. But as alluded to above, last night’s intake was even more significant for one simple reason.
Previous to this, Australia’s most significant gold medal haul was 17; achieved just three years ago at the Tokyo Games and at the 2004 Athens Games before that. At the current count of 18 along with 12 silver and 11 bronze, our representatives have collectively made history with a record-best total.
The heroes that pushed us over the line were Keegan Palmer for Men’s Park Skateboarding (defending his half-pipe throne); Matthew Wearn for Men’s Laser Sailing; the lethal quartet of Oliver Bleddyn, Kelland O’Brien, Sam Welsford, and Connor Leahy for Men’s Team Pursuit Cycling; and perhaps most prominently, Nina Kennedy for Women’s Pole Vault (more on this below).
With roughly three days left, only time will tell how dizzyingly high we’ll soar in this edition.
Field gold first
Nina Kennedy’s gold medal marks Australia’s maiden win in any Olympics women’s field event. Though it was almost expected from the world champion.
The Perth native claimed the title in Budapest last year with the crucial caveat that she’d tied with the United States’ Katie Moon; the duo having opted to share instead of battling it out via jump-off decider in the blistering heat.
“We were out there for such a long time, we were pushing each other to the absolute limit,” she said.
“Katie is the world champion, she is the Olympic gold medallist, I didn’t think she would want to share it and I thought we might need to keep jumping. But I kind of looked at her and said, ‘Hey girl, you maybe wanna share this?’”
“And the relief, you could see it on her face and you could see it on my face and it was mutual. It’s absolutely incredible to share a gold medal with Katie Moon; we have been friends for so long.”
Now, Ms Kennedy has soundly distinguished herself from her American rival.
Boxing medal first
Regardless of how she fares from here on out, Caitlin Parker has become the first woman to win an Olympic boxing medal for Australia. Though she’s practically within spitting difference of the 75kg division’s top podium step with an appetite for gold.
In her second appearance at the Summer Games, the 28-year-old brawler has been assured a bronze medal at the very least after defeating Jordan’s Khadija Mardi via 4:1 split decision during the quarter finals. Next, she’ll face top-seeded talent and reigning Asian Games champion Li Qian of the People’s Republic of China.
Australia’s Charlie Senior has also secured a medal for the homegrown boxing contingent the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam at the men’s 57kg division quarter final. He’ll also be facing a No.1 seed in Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov at the 2024 Paris Olympics semi-finals.
The Opals’ revenge
A day after their male counterparts were sent packing by Serbia, the Opals have settled the score on their end with 85-67 thrashing against the women’s side.
They’ll likely face off against eight-time defending champions Team USA. Though there’s a chance they could be facing Nigeria for a second time (albeit incredibly slim).
Team USA are currently on a 58-game Olympics winning streak and have not dropped a match since 1992. Meaning whoever is scheduled against them are definitely in for a rough ride.
August 6th
Arisa Trew becomes Australia’s youngest-ever medallist
With the world as her witness — and her sport’s GOAT Tony Hawke in the actual stands — Arisa Trew has immortalised herself as not just the youngest Olympic medallist in Australian history, but the youngest Olympic gold medallist.
Climbing to the top podium step for Women’s Skateboarding at the tender age of just 14 years and 86 days, she succeeds swimmer Sandra Morgan, who tasted gilded glory for the Women’s 4 x 100-metre Freestyle Relay during the 1956 Melbourne Olympics.
Incidentally, Trew’s gold medal marks Australia’s 14th at the 2024 Paris Olympics, which the Cairns-born young gun earned by scoring 93.18 on the grounds of La Concorde; narrowly beating Japan’s Cocona Kiraki (92.63) and Great Britain’s Sky Brown (92.31).
“I was just thinking on my final run that I had to land it no matter what,” Arisa Trew said of her crowning trick — an audacious McTwist into body varial 540.
Close but not cigar (or medals)
Storming the sands of France
Aussie beach volleyball duo Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar have kept their medal hopes alive after besting Switzerland in a hard fought quarter-final contest; squaring away two sets to one (21-19, 16-21, 15-12).
They’ve now punched their ticket to the final four, where they’ll either face Spain, Canada, Brazil, or Latvia for a chance to take something home.
The 1,500-metre upset
In the final 100-metre push of the track event, the United States’ Cole Hocker dug deep to surge past reigning world and Olympic champions in Norway’s Jakob Ingebrigtsen and Great Britain’s Josh Kerr; setting a brand new Olympic record of 3 minutes and 27.65 seconds.
The 2021 Tokyo gold medallist had initially led the race with world-record pace before fading back and finding himself blocked in. Of course, as any athlete will readily tell you, it ain’t over until it’s over.
Compatriot Yared Nuguse also managed to sprint past Ingebrigtsen to earn Team USA’s first double podium finish for the 1,500-metre event in 112 years.
The most dominant Olympian of all time retires
When you think of Olympic dominance, your mind conjures up images of Michael Phelps, whose personal medal tally overshadows that of 162 countries; or perhaps any of Team USA’s basketball teams (the women’s side are currently on a 58-game win streak which started in 1992).
The true epitome of Olympic dominance, however, is Cuba’s lesser-known Greco-Roman wrestler Mijaín López.
His claim to fame? This near-mythological 41-year-old — who stands at 6’5″, weighs 290 pounds — and is knowns as “El Terrible” has won a record-setting five consecutive gold medals in a single individual event.
“To be able to do that, it’s unheard of. There’s a reason why no one’s ever done it before,” said Michael Phelps himself, who is in the rarefied company of Olympic athletes who’ve won four times in a row.
What’s even more incredible is that López once spent over a decade without surrendering a single point.
But sadly, every epic tale comes to an end. And despite showcasing superb form at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Mijaín López has decided to call it a career… even though the human colossus could probably still make an impact in Los Angeles come 2028 (at which point he’ll be 45).
Especially considering that heavyweight combat sports athletes generally enjoy more longevity.
“He’s still the number-one guy by far, which is just crazy. He hasn’t competed in three years,” said American Robby Smith, who wrestled López at the 2015 World Championships.
I suppose some things just aren’t worth risking the legacy.
August 5th
“The name’s Fox, Noemie Fox.”
Like her fearless sister Jess — who she actually knocked out in an earlier stage of the Kayak Cross event; thwarting her chances of triple gilded glory in Paris — Noemie Fox is now an Olympic gold medallist, marking yet another first for Australia.
The younger Fox fearlessly tamed the whitewater rapids at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, and was initially a full second behind Great Britain’s Kimberley Woods. Thankfully, she salvaged it with a brilliant “eskimo roll” to take the lead and eventually the W.
“It just feels like a dream. I can’t believe it’s mine,” she said.
“Today just panned out to perfection. I never stood down my guard. I just kept fighting. It’s a dream come true.”
The silver surfer
Our very own Jack Robinson has claimed a silver medal for surfing at the 2024 Paris Olympics, outperforming three-time world champion and levitating sensation Gabriel Medina of Brazil, but falling just short against local favourite Kauli Vaast during the finals in Tahiti.
Still, it’s quite the accomplishments from the Margaret River native, who has proved himself amongst elite competition.
Diving for gold
Aussie divers Ellie Cole and Melissa Wu are officially through to the Women’s 10-Metre Platform final after the former recorded a remarkable fourth-place finish at last night’s semi-final event; and the latter clawed her way into 11th to qualify.
They certainly have their work cut out for them if they want a podium result against formidable Chinese duo Quan Hongchan and Chen Yuxi — who were practically in a class of their own at the semis — as well as British phenom Andrea Spendolini-Sirieix — who was the closest to providing China’s representatives any realistic competition.
Let’s see where the chips fall for this one.
Make it look easy
There’s been a lot of talk about “dominance.” With perhaps a few key exceptions, none come close to possibly the greatest pole-vaulter of all time (and certainly the greatest in our lifetime): Armand Duplantis.
The man they call “Mondo” has repeatedly broken his own world record one centimetre at a time — singlehandedly raising the the literal bar from a benchmark of 6.17 metres to 6.24 metres — to collect a cash bonus for each individual feat, thereby maximising his earning potential.
For context, athletes receive a US$100,000 bonus each time they break a world record; with the caveat that you only receive one bonus for the meet you broke it. In other words, if Duplantis broke the record twice at the Olympics, he’d only pocket US$100,000 instead of US$200,000.
To date, the 24-year-old Swede has broken his own world record seven times (nine world records in total), and unsurprisingly, he’s capped off his 2024 Paris Olympics campaign with his second gold medal.
French pole-vaulter Renaud Lavillenie, who cleared 6.15 metres back in 2014, added: “He’s clearly on another planet.”
August 3rd-4th
World champion of what? The 100-metre sprint, of course
There was a lot of bravado from world champion sprinter Noah Lyles over these past two years (and even a highly-entertaining Netflix docuseries).
Thankfully, the reigning world champion was able to back up his outspoken antics after an intensely close semi-final heat in which he finished second — claiming both the title of world’s fastest man and an Olympic gold medal when he pipped Jamaica’s Kishane Thompson by just five-thousandths of a second.
“I went up to Kishane and I was like, ‘I’m gonna be honest, I think you had that one,'” said Lyles, who was actually in last place around the 30-metre mark.
“I was fully prepared to see his name pop up. and to see my name pop, I’m like, ‘Goodness gracious, I’m incredible.'”
What a photo finish.
More than meets the medals
Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson broke a 56-year drought for Australia with double representation on an Olympic track & field podium — taking silver and bronze, respectively, for Women’s High Jump.
And make no mistake: this was as significant as a gilded finish.
“The casual viewer may view Olyslagers and Pattersons’ achievements in Paris as a mere formality. After all, they entered these Games as two of the top-four ranked jumpers on the planet, both boasting world titles over the past 24 months,” explains ESPN‘s Jake Michaels.
“But that would be selling the pair incredibly short. Heck, two months out from the Games, Olyslagers couldn’t run. She’s couldn’t skip. And she certainly couldn’t jump. The idea of leaping over door frames — or at least a bar set to that height — felt as out of reach as it does to us mere mortals.
“Instead, their paths to Sunday’s final have been laced with injury setbacks and despair, making their joint Olympic podium that much sweeter.”
Aussie grit at its finest.
A career Golden Slam in the books
Much like is fellow Big Three icon Rafael Nadal, recently, the question of age has hovered above Novak Djokovic’s insanely credentialled head. But this whole conversation might be put on ice after he defeated star-on-the-rise Carlos Alcaraz at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The 37-year-old Serbian great has joined a rarefied club of tennis players who’ve achieved a career Golden Slam (all four majors and a gold medal).
“I thought in 2012, carrying the flag of my country in the opening ceremony in the London Olympic Games was the best feeling an athlete could have — until today,” Djokovic noted in the press conference.
Novak Djokovic goes down in history as just the fifth tennis player with a career Golden Slam to their name next to Steffi Graf, Andre Agassi, Rafael Nadal, and Serena Williams.
The dynamic duo
On the subject of tennis, Australia’s Matthew Ebden and John Peers got the best of the United States’ Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in the Men’s Doubles finals.
Not only does this mark our proud nation’s first Olympic gold medal in tennis since 1996, but also the first unseeded pair to go all the way since Chileans Fernando González and Nicolás Massú in the 2004 Athens Games.
Anthony Edwards with the windmill dunk
Nothing encapsulates Team USA’s Olympic dominance better than the moment Anthony Edwards charged down the court practically uncontested for a brazen windmill dunk during the “Avengers of Basketball‘s” 104-83 victory against Puerto Rico.
Cameron McEvoy is the king of the 50-metre freestyle
For 12 years (and arguably longer than that), an Olympic gold medal had eluded Cameron McEvoy; with scepticism surrounding whether Olympic gold was still a possibility at this stage of his career steadily mounting.
That all changed after “The Professor” reinvented both himself and his training regimen — the latter of which some believe could revolutionise sprint swimming preparation the world over.
“I’ve never celebrated like that after a race, I’m usually pretty reserved and kicked back. I was hitting the water and jumped up on the lane rope,” said the 30-year-old.
“It was just elation. I touched the wall first. It’s an Olympic gold medal. It’s one of the pinnacle moments that you strive for and try to achieve. It’s been a long road.”
Through sheer determination and tireless dedication to the craft, McEvoy has become the first Aussie male athlete to reach the top podium step during these Olympics.
Double-Double
As if last week’s title defence wasn’t already impressive enough, Kaylee McKeown has now inked another chapter in swimming history by successfully defending two crowns at Paris (100-metre & 200-metre backstroke), while clocking an Olympic record in the process.
McKeown is also the first Aussie to win four individual gold medals with five in total across her entire Olympics career. We’re witnessing a GOAT in the making.
Down but never out
For most athletes, being stretchered away from the 2021 Tokyo Games after a crash as horrific as the one Saya Sakakibara endured would be sufficient cause for retirement. To make matters worse, just a year prior, she’d witnessed her brother Kai suffer a life-changing brain injury after crashing out from a World Cup event in Bathurst.
In spite of tragedy and a COVID-19 diagnosis at the top of the week, Ms Sakakibara triumphed to seize Australia’s maiden Olympics gold medal for BMX.
“I honestly can’t believe it right now. It all feels like a blur. This whole day was a blur,” said the 24-year-old homegrown rider.
“I just knew I had it when the gate called. I smiled. I was like, ‘All I have to do is go.’ It is crazy. I feel that it’s a dream. It is real, right?”
Waterworks are pretty much mandatory in this case.
Suffering from success
ICYMI: French pole vaulter Anthony Ammirati has become the latest viral sensation after his own pole prevented him from clearing a 5.7-metre attempt. I believe this is what’s known as a Pyrrhic victory.
August 2nd
Business as usual for The Dolphins
Are we surprised that the star-studded lineup of Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan, Brianna Throssell, and Lani Pallister notched another gold medal for Australia (this time at the Women’s 200-Metre Freestyle Relay final)?
Not in the slightest.
Are we still dazzled?
You betcha. As ESPN‘s Jake Michaels writes, “Guaranteed gold medals simply don’t exist at the Olympic Games, but for Australia, this was one event that felt pretty darn close.”
Revenge is a dish best served to the host nation
In the last two World Championships, France have eliminated the Aussie men’s water polo side. Now, The Sharks have knocked back their hosts in a thrilling 9-8 group stage victory that was opened by the formidable Angus Lambie, and sealed by Chaz Poot.
Australia’s most notable Olympic result for men’s water polo? A fifth place finish at both the 1984 Los Angeles Games and the 1993 Barcelona Games. Could they be eyeing the country’s inaugural medal for the sport?
Jesse Moore breaks Australia’s 12-year gymnastics drought
The 21-year-old Adelaide native became the first Aussie to punch their ticket to an Olympics all-around gymnastic event final since Josh Jeffries at the 2012 London Games. You absolutely love to see it.
Mission: Impossible (Olympics Edition)
Multiple reports indicate Tom Cruise has been cast in a “starring role” for the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, which is scheduled to occur on August 11th. Specifically for the flag handover in anticipation for Los Angeles’ 2028 edition of the Summer Games.
Cruise, who’s currently attending the ongoing affair, has apparently filmed stunts in both cities for a pre-recorded segment of said closing ceremony. While the details have been mostly kept under wraps, it is believed to range from rappelling down Paris’ Stade de France to skydiving to the famed Hollywood Hills sign.
“Expect a major Hollywood production,” a well-positioned source tells Deadline.
August 1st
A once-in-a-lifetime swim
China’s Pan Zhanle has delivered the 2024 Paris Olympics’ first swimming world record at the Men’s 100-Metre Freestyle final — shaving 0.40 seconds off the world record he set earlier this year with a wildly impressive 46.40 seconds (and in a slow pool, no less).
The feat is even more astounding when you consider he finished almost an entire second ahead of the next closest athlete. For reference, the margin between 2nd and 4th place was approximately three-hundredths of a second. This is believed to be the Olympic event’s greatest winning margin of all time.
Aussie aquatic sprint king Kyle Chalmers also managed to claim a silver medal, before shutting down any lingering notions about his retirement. At least before the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
“This is not my last individual event. I’m not retiring any time soon,” Chalmers told Nine.
“I did everything I possibly could and I’m really proud.”
Jessica Fox GOAT
Jess Fox has once again done Australia proud with another superb descent at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium, collecting her second gold medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics. With an incredible winning time of 1 minute and 1.06 seconds, shet edged out Germany’s Elena Lilik by 2.48 seconds and US representative Evy Liebfarth by an even bigger margin of 8.89 seconds.
The talented Ms Fox currently accounts for almost a third of all Australia’s gold medals.
Rafael Nadal’s Olympics retirement?
It’s no secret Rafa is reaching the twilight years of his illustrious career.
His defeat at the hands of fellow Big Three player Novak Djokovic in the men’s singles event; and now US duo Austin Krajicek and Rajeev Ram in the men’s doubles doesn’t just punctuate the King of Clay’s Paris Olympics campaign… but potentially Olympic Games, period.
“I’m happy with the love and support I receive here every time I step out on court. I don’t know if this was the last time. Possibly, yes,” he said on Court Philippe-Chatrier alongside doubles partner Carlos Alcaraz.
“One stage has ended for me: my objective was to focus on the Olympic Games and afterwards I’d have to decide, and that’s what I will do. Now I go home and rest and disconnect a bit. When I have [a clear mind], I will take the decision of what the next stage will be for me.”
Whatever the case, it’s been an incredible run.
July 31st
The Sharks stomp & the Stingers shoot
After a tough run against Spain which ended 9-5 in favour of the reigning European champions, Australia’s men’s water polo team have defeated the two-time defending gold medallists in Serbia. The final result? A dominant 8-3.
“We relied on our system. We relied on our blocks. We relied on our goalkeeper and it all worked out,” said Luke Pavillard (who singlehandedly outscored Serbia with four goals from nine shots).
“When you’ve got Nic Porter in goal behind you and he’s playing that well, the blocks are in the right places, the communication is good, it feels like he fills all the holes.”
Australia’s women’s team also walked away with the W via dramatic penalty shootout. The scoreboard was tied at 7-7 by the conclusion of regulation time, and 15-14 thereafter thanks to a cracking save by our very own Genevieve Longman (who was brought on as a substitute).
No protection, just all business
In the same week the world fell in love with South Korean sharpshooter Kim Ye-ji, whose unmatched “aura” has drawn admirers from all walks of life, Turkey’s Yusuf Dikec has gone viral for his decidedly no-frills approach to winning a silver medal.
Nice to know that 50-something-year-old dads are pretty much the same everywhere.
July 30th
Back to back(stroke)
Australia’s own Kaylee McKeown became the second woman in history to defend her 100m backstroke gold medal, recapturing the lightning she bottled at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics.
Lost the battle, but can they win the war?
It wasn’t the result they had in mind — especially considering their own strengths were weaponised against them — but the Boomers put in a medal-worthy performance in the early half of their group-stage clash against Canada, leading the North American contenders in both Q1 and Q2.
Clearly, the FIBA ruleset suits the playing styles of Josh Giddey and Dyson Daniels more than the NBA regulations.
The Boomers face Giannis Antetokounmpo’s Greek side next. Hopefully, Brian Goorjian can strategically recalibrate to make the necessary adjustments in time.
Egyptian fencer reveals she competed seven months pregnant
Making the last 16 in sabre fencing by defeating the No. 7 seed alone is quite a feather in one’s cap. But to pull a Serena Williams by doing it while seven months pregnant is a next-level flex.
“What appears to you as two players on the podium, they were actually three!” Nada Hafez said on Instagram.
“It was me, my competitor, & my yet-to-come to our world, little baby!”
“My baby & I had our fair share of challenges, be it both physical & emotional. The rollercoaster of pregnancy is tough on its own, but having to fight to keep the balance of life & sports was nothing short of strenuous, however worth it. I’m writing this post to say that pride fills my being for securing my place in the round of 16!”
Hafez would later lose to South Korea’s Jeon Ha-young.
“Look, ma. No hands!”
This viral snapshot of Brazilian surfer Gabriel Medina after scoring a heat-best 9.90. That’s it. That’s the entry.
(And had it not been for a certain act of political violence, this could’ve easily been the picture of 2024.)
July 29th
The 1-2 lockout
Clearly not content with all they’d already achieved in the 2024 Paris Olympics, Aussie rising star Mollie Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus won gold and silver, respectively, at the Women’s 200m Freestyle event.
Green and gold, baby. These colours might not run but they sure as hell swim.
The Matildas stay alive
They were trailing 5-3 with just 25 minutes left on the clock (which was still an improvement from being three goals down). But after cracking the Zambian defence, we witnessed a group-stage comeback for the ages. A dramatic 90th-minute winner secured our gals the 6-5 victory.
Tokyo 2021 handed the Matildas a fourth-place finish. Will Paris 2024 yield a medal?
Never fight a man with the same name twice
In the wake of Harry Garside’s heartbreaking exit, Teremoana Teremoana Jr avenged his own points decision loss to Ukrainian boxer Dmytro Lovchnskyi with a devastating Round 1 knockout. The 26-year-old has now been immortalised as the first Australian to ever win a Super Heavyweight bout in Olympic history.
“I’m representing my grandfather, he was a Cook Islander,” explained the hard-hitting Queenslander.
“He was a family person who led by example, and I respect him so much because he walked the talk and I’m trying to be a representation of him.”
“I am Teremoana Junior, named after him. I used to be known as Sampson and I decided at my 21st [birthday] that I was going to go by Teremoana.”
July 28th
Jessica Fox “completes” the set
This was a long time coming for Jess Fox, who’d previously taken home a silver medal for the Women’s K-1 Slalom Canoeing event at the 2016 Rio Olympics; along with bronzes in London ’12 and Tokyo ’21 (plus countless ICF Canoe Slalom World Championships).
This year, like Messi at the 2022 World Cup, the Aussie flagbearer nabbed the career accolade that had eluded her for years.
The magnificent Rugby Sevens
Antoine Dupont’s Les Bleues Sevens toppled two-time Olympic champions Fiji in a decisive 28-7 victory on home turf (the latter of whom had been, up until this point, unbeaten in 17 Olympic competition games). An emphatic way to kick off the host country’s medal-earning efforts “conceived, composed, and performed” by Dupont himself.
Nobody comes close to touching Leon Marchand
It was a race to remember for the French swimmer, who claimed his maiden Olympic gold medal at the Men’s 400m Individual Medley final — shattering the legendary Michael Phelps’ 2008 Beijing record in the process. But we argue all this is secondary to the young gun’s dominant photo finish.
Ice cold.
Japan’s prodigy
If you’re feeling unaccomplished in your adult age right now, this is an unwelcome reminder that 14-year-old Coco Yoshizawa, who has now only been alive for four Summer Games, is an Olympic gold medallist; representing her country in skateboarding at the highest possible level.
July 27th
Grace Brown sets the tone with a historic performance
Despite the perilous terrain of Paris’ rainy streets, the Victorian native cleared the closest competition by 91 seconds in the individual Women’s Time Trial, drawing first blood for Team Australia. Or rather, gold. This also marked Australia’s maiden victory in the event.
The Dolphins get it done
It was one helluva day at the aquatic centre for the Aussie swimming team.
Ariarne Titmus pip both Canada’s teen phenom Summer McIntosh and the ever-formidable Katie Ledecky in the Women’s 400m Freestyle for the top podium step; while the deadly coalition of Bronte Campbell, Meg Harris, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon, Mollie O’Callaghan, and Olivia Wunsch prevailed at the Women’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay event.
Jack Cartwright, Kyle Chalmers, Flynn Southam, Kai Taylor, and William Yang also managed to collect some silverware at the Men’s 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay; with Elijah Winnington finishing second at the Men’s 400m Freestyle.
“Pay me my money.”
The revelation that Hong Kong was rewarding fencer Vivian Kong for the city’s third-ever Olympic gold medal with a cash bonus of HK$6 million (AU$1.1 million) shined a spotlight on which countries compensate their athletes well — and which countries don’t.
You can read all about it here.
A clutch recovery from an Italian high-jumper
Gianmarco Tamberi publicly confessed his wedding ring had fallen into the Seine during the opening ceremony, but stuck the landing with his wife.
“I’m sorry, my love, I’m so sorry,” he posted via Instagram (translated from Italian).
“But if it really had to happen… I couldn’t imagine a better place. It will remain forever in the riverbed of the city of love, flown away while I was trying to raise the Italian tricolour as high as possible during the opening ceremony of the most important sporting event in the world. If I had to invent an excuse I would never have been so imaginative.”
Tamberi charmingly continued: “If you want, we’ll throw yours into that river, too, so they’ll be together forever, and we’ll have one more excuse to, like you’ve always asked, renew our vows and get married to new… May it be a good omen to return home with an even bigger gold!”
