Team Australia has touched down in Sydney after best ever Olympics

A large crowd gathered at Sydney Airport to warmly welcome home the athletes of Team Australia, celebrating their triumphant return.

On a wet Wednesday morning, the Olympians made their way down the Qantas Dreamliner to a waiting sea of green and gold, with family members, friends and fans eagerly anticipating their return.

AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said it was a “fantastic morning” of celebrations, which was sorely missed after the pandemic-stricken* Tokyo Olympics.

He said the team’s success was a “combination of many”, including the athletes, their families and Australian supporters.

But Mr Carroll expressed disappointment with the fallout* from breakdancer Rachael Gunn’s unique performance, which has since featured on talk shows across the globe, including The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon.

”People win, people lose … that’s what competition’s about”, Mr Carroll said, adding that the reaction was “very sad”.

Jessica Fox also defended “Raygun”* after stepping off the plane.

“It was special for us to be able to rally around her at the closing ceremony, and show our appreciation to her as a valued member of our team,” Fox told The Sydney Morning Herald.

Meanwhile, Australia’s most decorated* athlete of all time, Emma McKeon, said she was “relieved to be back home” after winning a gold, silver and bronze medal.

Proudly wearing their gold medals, sister duo Jess and Noemi Fox struggled through the crowd of supporters and media.

Jess said it was a “dream Olympics on all fronts, from personal … to family success”.

“It was my fourth Games and I think the most special,” she said.

“Tokyo was very unique … (with) restrictions but to be able to have packed out stadiums and atmosphere … for me personally to share that with Noemie this time around, it was the most special Games.”

Having won her first medal, Noemie found the whole experience “crazy” and “surreal*”, given she left Australia not knowing whether she had qualified.

The pair were keen to finally have some Australian coffee and share their Olympic success with friends.

BMX gold medallist Saya Sakakibara was pleased to have a “beautiful night sleep” on her way home.

“It was a long flight but the rumours are true, all the medallists get business class, so I had a beautiful night’s sleep,” Sakakibara said.

“I’m just so happy and so grateful to be part of this charter flight and to walk down the plane steps among so many amazing athletes, strong men and women.”

She said it was “amazing” to be able to share the medal with her brother, who suffered a life-changing brain injury in 2020 after crashing at a World Cup event.

He was in the crowd on Wednesday morning and said while he was nervous during the event, he was excited now that “we have an Olympic gold medallist in the family”.

Tokyo bronze medallist Harry Garside said he still felt “numb” after an early exit in the first round of the men’s lightweight division.

While admitting his future was unknown, he was proud to be a part of the most successful Australian Olympic boxing team, as he basked in the electric welcome from supporters in Sydney.

“I’m just excited to get back home around people that I love and you can really be yourself,” he said.

“I’m just so grateful to be part of that boxing team … (we had) our first ever female medal winner Caitlin Parker (and) Charlie Senior boxed amazingly as well.”

As the first Australian male athlete to win a medal in discus, Matthew Denny said he believed he wasn’t “at the peak of my powers yet” and hoped to retire at the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.

“If I do that, that’s five Olympics in track and field, and no one in Australia has done that yet,” Denny said.

Fans draped in Olympics apparel* welcomed the athletes home, with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Governor-General Sam Mostyn greeting them as ARIA award-winning singer Jessica Mauboy joined the celebration, performing her Olympic hit single, Higher.

The Paris Olympics marked Australia’s most successful campaign to date, finishing fourth on the medal tally.

POLL

GLOSSARY

• stricken: affected, struck down by something, badly impacted
• fallout: negative reaction
• Raygun: breakdancer Rachael Gunn, who represented Australia at the Paris Olympics
• decorated: highly honoured
• surreal: not feeling real, a strange and heightened state
• apparel: clothing

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QUICK QUIZ

1. How many Olympic Games has Jessica Fox attended?
2. What do the Jess and Noemie Fox have in common after the Paris Games other than being sisters?
3. When does discus thrower Matthew Denny hope to retire?
4. Which rumour did gold medallist BMX rider Saya Sakakibara confirm?
5. Which American TV host has been talking about breakdancer Raygun and on what show?

LISTEN TO THIS STORY

CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES
1. Design their banner
Design a special Welcome Home banner. Your banner is for one of the athletes included in the story. Your banner must reflect what is inspiring about your chosen athlete.

Time: allow at least 40 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Visual Communication Design, Personal and Social Capability

2. Extension
Write the speech that you think the Prime Minister should make to welcome the Olympic team back to Australia.

Time: allow at least 25 minutes to complete this activity
Curriculum Links: English, Personal and Social Capability, Health and Physical Education

VCOP ACTIVITY
Girls in sport
There are many sports in which we’re seeing an increase in female participants. What sports have you noticed, or maybe joined yourself, where you have seen an increase in the amount of girls now playing? How do you feel about this? Why do you feel this way? Do you think it’s a positive shift? Why/why not?

Use your VCOP to express how you feel towards girls taking up more sporting roles. Explain why you feel this way. Use your emotive language to express your point of view.