Paris Olympics: The Aussie athletes competing at Paris 2024

With the clock ticking down to the 2024 Summer Paris Olympic Games, the selection process for the competing sports is well underway.

While not all teams are finalised yet, there is still no doubt that Australia will be a team to watch at the Games.

Even with our comparatively* small population, Australia sits 10th in Olympic standing overall, having won a total of 558 medals (167 gold, 177 silver and 214 bronze) from different Olympic campaigns.

Let’s take a look at some of our Olympic records for Australian athletes.

WHO HAS QUALIFIED FOR AND COMPETED AT THE MOST SUMMER OLYMPIC GAMES?
Andrew Hoy has participated in the equestrian* section of eight Summer Olympics.

These were Los Angeles 1984, Seoul 1988, Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, Sydney 2000, Athens 2004, London 2012, and Tokyo 2020. He was also selected for Moscow in 1980 but the equestrian section was boycotted*.

And yes, he will compete at his ninth Olympic Games this year in Paris!

WHO HAS WON THE MOST SUMMER OLYMPICS MEDALS FOR AUSTRALIA?
Emma McKeon has broken many records throughout her swimming career, including the most Summer Olympics medals for Australia, with a total of 11: five gold, two silver and four bronze.

McKeon is also the first-ever Australian female Olympian to have won seven medals at one Summer Olympic Games (Tokyo 2020). McKeon is currently tied with another Australian swimming legend, Ian Thorpe, for the most Olympic gold medals won by an Australian (they both have five).

McKeon is aiming to compete in Paris, where she may add some more medals to her collection.

WHO HAS WON THE MOST GOLD MEDALS FOR AUSTRALIA AT A SINGLE GAMES?
Australia is more competitive at Summer Olympics, so again, Emma McKeon holds this title, winning four gold medals in Tokyo 2020.

WHO HAS WON THREE GOLD MEDALS FOR AUSTRALIA IN THE SAME EVENT?
Swimmer Cate Campbell won gold in the women’s 4x 100m freestyle relay at London in 2012, Rio 2016 and Tokyo in 2020.

One of Australia’s early legends of the pool, Dawn Fraser won the women’s 100m freestyle in Melbourne 1956, Rome 1960, and Tokyo 1964.

Rachelle Hawkes, a member of the women’s hockey team, won gold at the Seoul Games in 1988, Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.

Andrew Hoy won gold in the equestrian event in Barcelona 1992, Atlanta 1996, and Sydney 2000.

WHO IS OUR OLDEST OLYMPIAN TO COMPETE?
Australia’s oldest Olympic champion was Bill Northan, at 59 years and 26 days old. He competed in yachting* at the 1964 Tokyo Games.

WHO IS OUR YOUNGEST?
Swimmer Sandra Morgan remains our youngest-ever Summer Olympian. She competed as a 14-year-old in the 4x100m women’s freestyle team at the Melbourne 1956 Games.

WHO WERE OUR FIRST OLYMPIANS?
Our first ever male Olympian was Edwin Flack, who competed in athletics and tennis in the 1896 Athens Games.

Our first female athletes were Sarah “Fanny” Durack and Wilhemina “Mina” Wylie, who both took part in swimming at the Stockholm 1912 Games.

Both Flack and Durack won gold at the Games, also making them our first Olympic medal winners.

WHICH WAS OUR MOST SUCCESSFUL SUMMER GAMES?
Australia’s highest medal count was at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics, where we won 58 Olympic medals (16 gold, 25 silver, and 17 bronze).

The most we’ve won at a Summer Games outside of Australia was in Athens 2004, where the team brought home 49 Olympic medals (17 gold, 16 silver, and 16 bronze).

WHO TO WATCH AT THE PARIS 2024 GAMES
The Paris Olympics will see a team of incredible Australian athletes – some veterans* of the Games, others making their Olympic debut*. Here are just a handful.

Swimmer Kaylee McKeown

The 22-year-old was named Best Female Swimmer of the Year by World Aquatics in 2023, after a year that saw her win the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke events at three World Cup competitions in Europe.

Since the 2020 Olympics, McKeown has continued to dominate at backstroke events, with 11 individual and team gold medals. McKeown is the current world record holder in the 50m, 100m, and 200m long course backstroke events.

Surfer Jack Robinson

Robinson was ranked world number one coming into the famous Rip Curl Pro Bells Beach surfing competition in Victoria in 2023. Unfortunately, he was injured and couldn’t surf for four months.

Bouncing back, he finished fifth in the 2023 World Surfing League finals and ended the year number two in the world, meaning he is a very good shot for a medal at Paris 2024.

Swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan

The 19-year-old from Queensland won five gold medals (plus two silver) at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games and two gold at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics at just 17-years-old. She will be one to watch out for in the pool in Paris!

Skateboarder Chloe Covell

Chloe Covell will be just 14 when she steps onto her skateboard at the 2024 Olympics. Chloe already has two X-Games gold medals, the youngest-ever street skateboarding gold medallist in X Games history.

Runner Peter Bol

Middle-distance* runner Peter Bol has competed at the Rio Olympics 2016 (placing 41st) and Tokyo 2020 (placing fourth). Paris 2024 will be his third Games.

Bol’s fourth place in Tokyo was the highest place by an Australian male in an individual track event since Darren Clark’s fourth in the 400m in 1988 – 33 years ago and before Peter was born. A result only bettered by Australian Olympic champions and athletics pioneers* Edwin Flack (1896) and Ralph Doubell (1968).

POLL

GLOSSARY

• comparatively: when compared to others
• equestrian: horse riding
• boycotted: people refused to take part in it
• yachting: sailing yachts
• veterans: someone very experienced
• debut: first appearance
• middle-distance: running races with tracks longer than sprints and up to 3000m
• pioneers: the first in their field

QUICK QUIZ
1. Who was the first Australian to compete in an Olympics?
2. Who was the first Australian athlete to win gold at the Olympics?
3. Who was the first female Australian athlete to win gold?
4. Which Aussie has competed at the most Games?
5. Who is the youngest Aussie to have competed at the Olympics?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
Kids News has produced a free Paris Olympics education workbook full of classroom activities to support the information in this series.

It has been crafted by one of our expert Kids News teachers and complements the information in these education kit articles.

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EXTRA READING
PART 12: Winter Olympics