During the middle weekend of the Paris Olympics, the halfway point of the Games, Australia’s athletes are eyeing history. At the end of day eight, the Australians have won 12 golds, eight silvers and seven bronze medals (plus another guaranteed). It is the nation’s most successful start to an Olympics, surpassing the 11 gold medals won by Australia in the first eight days in Athens. Australia sit fourth on the medal tally.
With eight days of action remaining, Australia’s burgeoning haul leaves the team on the cusp of a historic feat. Twice before, the Australian Olympic team has returned from a Games with 17 gold medals – in Athens in 2004, and in Tokyo three years ago. At the halfway point of Paris 2024, there is every chance that benchmark could be broken. Even accounting for medal inflation – 301 golds were handed out in Athens, 340 in Tokyo and an anticipated 329 in Paris – Australia’s start to the Games is unprecedented.
Australia’s success has been led by its women, with just two golds so far coming from male competitors, swimmer Cameron McEvoy and tennis doubles pairing Matt Ebden and John Peers. If Australia’s female athletes were their own nation on the medal tally, they would currently sit in sixth – ahead of South Korea.
If swim star Kaylee McKeown had her own spot on the tally, now Australia’s most individually-successful Olympian after defending both of her Tokyo titles this week, she would be ranked 17th, equal with Hong Kong and Belgium, on two golds and two bronze medals (McKeown also has the women’s medley relay to come on Sunday). Opening ceremony flag bearer Jess Fox has also contributed two golds to the tally, while Australia’s female freestylers won gold in both the 4x100m and 4x200m relays.
Seven of Australia’s 12 gold medals have come from the swim team. Indeed such has been Australia’s success in the pool this week that, with one day remaining of the Paris meet, the Dolphins are above arch-rivals the United States in the pool-specific medal tally. The last time Australia won the swimming tally at an Olympics was the home Games in Melbourne in 1956. The duel in the pool will go to the wire, though, with the Americans favourite in some of the last medal events on Sunday.
Australia’s early success, and relative disappointment for the USA in the pool and beyond, also meant that on day seven of the Games a 128-year-old record was broken. For the first time in the history of the Olympics, Australia was ahead of the USA on the medal tally at the end of week one.
“I have always said there are no guarantees at an Olympic Games,” said Australian chef de mission Anna Meares on Saturday, “so we have celebrated all the medals won, just as we have celebrated the many other achievements including finals, personal bests and sport best results, we have also rallied around those who have felt disappointment and reminded them we are there for them and show our immense pride in their effort as an Australian Olympian.”
With eight days remaining, there are still plenty of gold medal opportunities for the Australians in Paris. On Sunday morning, time trial gold medallist Grace Brown will lead Australia in the women’s road race, taking on a gruelling but scenic course around Paris. Later that evening, Dolphins duo Shayna Jack and Meg Harris will compete in the women’s 50m freestyle final, while Australia is also a medal possibility in the men’s and women’s 4x100m medley relay.
On Monday, Australia’s track cyclists will begin their Olympic campaign at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines Velodrome. The team’s best gold medal prospects come in the men’s team sprint, with Matthew Richardson, Leigh Hoffman and Matthew Glaetzer, and the women’s Madison, through Georgia Baker and Alexandra Manly. In Marseille, meanwhile, Tokyo gold medallist Matthew Wearn currently leads his dinghy class sailing with three more days of racing expected.
At the Stade de France, Australia’s athletics team – the strongest in years – is already in action. Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson are genuine medal contenders in the women’s high jump and Jessica Hull is in career-best form in the 1500m. Nina Kennedy enters the women’s pole vault as defending world champion.
Australia has also looked strong in several team sports to date in Paris, including the men’s and women’s hockey and men’s and women’s water polo. The Boomers and Opals are also still in the hunt for basketball glory. Medal possibilities also remain in the skateboarding and canoe slalom.
Typically, the strength of Australia’s swim program means a fast rise up the medal tally in week one of the Olympics followed by a more sedate second week. That could again be the case – and a haul in line with Athens and Tokyo may prove the ultimate outcome. But the Australian team’s current momentum in Paris suggests a historic overall tally remains within reach.
