The 2024 Paris Olympics set the bar high for show-stopping performances when Céline Dion emotionally returned to the stage during the opening ceremony. From the platform of the Eiffel Tower and dressed in custom Dior designed by Maria Grazia Chuiri, the French capital proved this year’s summer games would be a display of strength, resilience, might and grit.

Of course, when you have one of the world’s greatest female singers to embody this, it is only a given that the female athletes in competition would rise to the occasion.

On the home front, Australian cyclist Grace Brown cut past the historic Hotel des Invalides and gilded Pont Alexandre III to snatch our first gold medal (and Chaumet, no less!) in the games during the individual time trial. Later in the pool of the La Défense Arena, 23-year-old Ariarne Titmus led a heroic effort as she won gold and defended her 400-meter freestyle title.

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Elsewhere, the likes of Emma McKeon and Mollie O’Callaghan took another gold medal and set a new Olympic record after winning the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. (This feat prompted McKeon to become Australia’s most decorated Olympian, too.) In another body of water, Jess Fox dominated the rapids to earn her second gold for the kayak slalom.

Now, as the City of Lights hands the Olympic flag over to the City of Angeles in anticipation of the 2028 Los Angeles Games, revisit every Olympic highlight and major Australian medal win from the 2024 Paris Games below.

The Australian Medal Wins And Highlights From The 2024 Paris Olympics

DAY 16

The Opals Pry For Bronze In A Shoot-Out Style match Against Belgium

The Australian women’s basketball team, the Opals, snatched a podium position on one of the final days of the competition. Led by 24-year-old Ezi Magbegor, who single-handedly scored 30 of the team’s 85 points, the Opals defeated Belgium 85-81. Captain Lauren Jackson, 43, took home her fifth Olympic medal with the team having made her debut in the 1996 Atlanta games.

DAY 15

Jessica Hull Snatches Second In Women’s 1500m

Jessica Hull, 27, had a victory lap in the Stade de France after winning in the Women’s 1500m. She was 0.05 seconds faster than Britain’s Georgia Bell, who placed third behind her, taking home the medal in a personal best time of 3:52.56. First place was rightfully awarded to Kenya’s all-time great Faith Kipyegon with a time that eclipsed the old Olympic Record. Hull became Australia’s first woman and just fourth-ever athlete to win an Olympic 1500m medal. Hull (3:52.56) finished just behind

The Undefeated Stingers Lost To Spain In Olympic Water Polo Decider

After being unbeaten in the entire tournament, the Australian women’s water polo team, the Stingers, were narrowly defeated by Spain in the nail-biting podium position determiner. After trailing 6-3 in the third quarter of the match, the team eventually came back but were still down by two points in the 11-9 final score.

DAY 14

Maddison Keeney Springs Into Second Place In The Women’s 3m Springboard Diving

A meeting with Michelle Yeoh ahead of her final dive might’ve helped calm Western Australia’s Maddison Keeney as she took the 3m springboard for one final leap. The winner of a springboard synchro bronze in 2016 took home her first individual medal with her silver-worthy performance. An injury prompted Keeney to sit out of the 2020 Tokyo Games, making this medal an even more heartfelt moment.

Raygun Goes Viral

Rachel Gunn, 36, known as ‘Raygun’, set the internet alight with a ‘creative’ performance in the inaugural breaking match. Earning comparisons to Australian fictional icons like Kath & Kim and the fictional characters of Summer Heights High, Gunn’s interesting breakdancing moves failed to earn her a single point in any of her three battle rounds. Nevertheless, her display was joyous to watch, despite the sport being dumped from the  2028 Los Angeles games schedule. Gunn will continue her love for dance as a lecturer on the subject at Macquarie University in Sydney.

DAY 13

Australia’s First Female Boxing Medallist, Caitlin Parker, Took Home Bronze In Women’s 75kg Boxing

Caitlin Parker ended her Olympic campaign in a semi-final fight against China’s Li Qian—a match that earned her bronze in the women’s 75kg boxing. No Australian has ever won gold in the discipline, but this placement makes her Australia’s first female boxing medallist.

Moesha Johnson Made A Splash In The Siene With Silver Winning Women’s 10km Swimming Marathon Performance

After an expensive clean-up and subsequent investigation into the athletes’ safety, the River Seine was back in the spotlight on Day 13 of the Olympics. Australia’s Moesha Johnson, 26, claimed the second open-water gold of her career with a narrow loss to The Netherlands’s Sharon van Rouwendaal in the 10km Women’s Marathon swimming.

DAY 12

Nina Kennedy Landed Australia Its First-Ever Gold Medal In The Women’s Pole Vault

Earning Australia its 18th medal, Nina Kennedy, 27, made a career-defining leap as she cleared a height of 4.9m to snatch her first gold Olympic medal. It also marked Australia’s first gold medal in the sport and broke a 16-year dry spell.

21-Year-Old Keegan Palmer Leads Australia To A Sweep In The Skateboarding Park Division After Gold Medal Win

Keegan Palmer, who was raised in the Gold Coast by way of California, defended his gold medal from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics with a time of 93.11 in the men’s park division. Australia took home both top spots in the men’s and women’s games, with Palmer hot on the heels of fellow Queenslander Arisa Trew who won gold the day prior.

Australia Placed In The Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay For The First Time Ever Thanks To Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag’s Bronze Medal Earning Time

Australia earned its first medal in the Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay after a bronze medal-winning performance by Jemima Montag and Rhydian Cowley. The duo carved their own slice of history in the inaugural Olympic race after walking a combined total distance of 42.195km in two hours, 51 minutes and 38 seconds.

Australia Now Has Olympic Footing In Discus After Matt Denny’s Third Place Performance

The Paris Olympics has given Australia its best medal results ever, thanks in part to the first-ever podium spot in discus. Matt Denny took home bronze at the Stade de France, also marking Australia’s first-ever medal for the category.

DAY 11

14-Year-Old Arisa Trew Becomes Australia’s Youngest Gold Medalist 

On the eleventh day of the Paris Olympics, Queensland-born Arisa Trew, 14 made history by becoming Australia’s youngest gold medalist after snatching home the top prize at the skateboarding park division. Trew beat a 68-year-old record held by swimmer Sandra Morgan, who was the former youngest medal winner when she competed at the Melbourne Games in 1956. Trew recorded a run of 93.18 at La Concorde in central Paris in the final, beating Japan’s Cocona Hiraki (92.63) Britain’s Sky Brown (92.31) who took home the silver and bronze, respectively. Trew’s feat has since made international news, with even skating legend Tony Hawk joining in on the fanfare to congratulate her “epic last run”.

DAY 10 

Noemie Fox Triumphs In A Tender Moment Shared With Big Sister Jessica Fox

Following in her older sister’s footsteps, Noemie Fox, 27, takes home her first gold in kayak cross after Jessica was knocked out in an earlier final. The younger Fox stepped up to the task at hand and joined her decorated family in taking home an Olympic medal. Jessica was the first to congratulate her after the race, not even waiting until she was on land to celebrate with the first-time Olympian. See the sweet moment below.

Torrie Lewis Sets An Olympic PB

Teenager Torrie Lewis—Australia’s fastest woman—knew all eyes would be on her given she beat American Sha’Carri Richardson at her debut 200m race at the Diamond League in China earlier this year. Stepping up to track, Lewis gave it her all with a personal best time of 22.89 in the heats. But when it came to the semi-finals, Lewis unfortunately failed to shift up a gear and ended her individual race campaign in seventh. At only 19 years old, Lewis’ career is only just getting started. Consider this the Olympics warm-up!

Nina Kennedy Reaches Great Heights

Reigning world champion Nina Kennedy, 27, confirmed her spot in the pole vault final by clearing a height of 4.55m. With the final coming on Wednesday night, Kennedy may soar to Olympic gold after placing 12th in Tokyo.

DAY 9

The Australian Swim Team Makes One Last Splash

To celebrate Australia’s final day in the pool in Paris, members of the swimming team including Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon and Mollie O’Callaghan celebrated their success with one final dive. The team joyfully plunged into the water fully dressed in their uniform as they celebrated their wins and said farewell to McKeon’s Olympic run.

Nicola Olyslagers & Eleanor Patterson Won Silver And Bronze In The Women’s High Jump

Nicola Olyslagers (left) and Eleanor Patterson (right) became the first two Australians to medal in the same Olympic track and field event in 68 years after taking home silver and bronze in the women’s high jump. Following Ukrainian athlete Yaroslava Mahuchikh, Nicola Olyslagers cleared 2.02m with Patterson snapping up the last podium position with a height of 1.98m.

DAY 8

Kaylee McKeown Wins Bronze After A History-Making Video Review And Disqualification

In a move that had Kaylee McKeown disqualified in the women’s 200m individual medley at the 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Fukuoka, an error from the U.S’s Alex Walsh led the swimmer to win bronze in the IM Olympic race. Rules stipulate swimmers must be mostly on their back as they head into the turn from backstroke to front-facing breaststroke. As Walsh had already turned by the time she reached the wall, she was sadly disqualified which bumped McKeown into third place. McKeown ultimately walked home from the pool deck with an unexpected bronze medal.

DAY 7 

24-Year-Old Saya Sakakibara Has The Ultimate Comeback By Winning BMX Gold

In 2020, Saya Sakakibara was sadly rolled away on a stretcher after a scary crash at the Tokyo Games. Now, the BMX athlete has ridden to Olympic glory by taking home gold at the Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines circuit. The cyclist became the first Australian racer to win Olympic gold in the division, with the athlete saying after the race, “I just knew I had it when the gate called. I smiled. I was like, ‘all I have to do is go'”.

DAY 6

Ariarne Titmus & Mollie O’Callaghan Lead Australia To Its 18th Medal With Olympic Record Making 4x200m Relay 

On one of the final days of the swimming schedule, Australia’s aquatic golden girls led our country to its 18th medal with an Olympic record-making race in the 4x200m freestyle relay. Mollie O’Callaghan, 20, and Ariarne Titmus, 23, took home their respective third and second gold medals in Paris, with the decorated athletes bookending the race. O’Callaghan led the pack and set a great speed for her teammates before Titmus rounded it out and brought it home. Lani Pallister, 22, was deserving of her first gold medal after spending the week in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. They ended the race with a time of 7:38:08, with sporting legend Dawn Fraser proudly watching on from the stands.

DAY 5

Jess Fox Nabs Back-To-Back Gold In C1  

She paddles, she scores. That’s the case for one of Australia’s most successful athletes Jessica Fox. The French-born canoeist and kayaker took home back-to-back bold after a superb display in the C1. Her technical abilities and proficiency in the water led her to lead the pack and defeat the silver winner by a mere two seconds. Every moment counts, and she made each her own.

Penny Brown Takes Home Bronze In Trap Shooting

South Korea’s record-breaking Olympic pistol shooter Kim Ye-ji may have the internet in a chokehold with her cold “auramaxxing” demeanour, but Australian Penny Smith has put Australia on the map with a courageous effort in trap shooting. The 29-year-old won bronze, making it her first Olympic medal. She placed sixth at Tokyo in 2020, making this comeback especially joyful. Talk about hitting your mark.

The Matildas End Their Olympic Campaign Sooner Than Expected In Emotional Loss Against The U.S.

The Matildas had gold in their views at the 2020 Tokyo Games. A devastating 4-3 loss to the U.S. led the team to place fourth. Though it was the closest the girls ever got to Olympic glory, history was unfortunately deemed to repeat itself when they met again in Marseille. It was a valiant effort, but the Matildas ended their Olympic campaign sooner than expected during an emotional loss to their fiercest rivals. The team did not progress out of the Group B round with a tight 2-1 defeat. Nevertheless, the Tillies did us proud with amazing saves from Mackenzie Arnold and a brilliant goal from Alanna Kennedy.

The Stingers, Australia’s Women’s Waterpolo Team, Wins Dramatic Shoot Out Against The Netherlands

Elsewhere the pool, Australia’s women’s Waterpolo team proceeded to the next round of the heats in a dramatic shootout against The Netherlands. Rightly titled the Stingers, the team pipped them to the goal by one point, winning 15-14 in penalty overtime. The score was drawn seven-all when the whistle blew at full-time, but it was a last-minute appearance from goalkeeper Genevieve Longman, 29, that proved to be the best play of the match. With fresh legs, Longman made the save that netted Australia the victory. The team are currently undefeated and will proceed to play against Canada later in the Olympics.

DAY 4

Kaylee McKeown Defends Her 100m Backstroke Title & Breaks Olympic Record

Another day, another gold for Australia in the pool. The sixth gold medal came courtesy of a formidable display from Kaylee McKeown in the 100m backstroke. McKeown, 23, defended the gold she won for the same race during the 2020 Tokyo Games, making this her second individual win. The race came down to the last 25m, with McKeown’s valiant effort triumphing over the U.S’s Regan Smith. McKeown, her teammate Ariarne Titmus, and swimming legend Dawn Fraser are the only Australian women to defend their individual Olympic gold medals.

DAY 3

Mollie O’Callaghan Pips Ariarne Titmus To The Finishing Blocks In 200m Freestyle

In the highly anticipated 200m freestyle quinella—the race in which Australia was guaranteed the first two places, but not necessarily in the assumed order—Mollie O’Callaghan, 20, piped her teammate, Ariarne Titmus, 23, to the finishing blocks in a nail-biting final 50m push. The 20-year-old claimed her second gold in the span of two days, defeating Titmus in 1 minute and 53.27 seconds. (Titmus was 54 milliseconds behind her and took home silver.)

The race for O’Callaghan’s first individual medal heated up after the Olympic swimming trails when Titmus narrowly defeated her swim partner. Now, the tables have indeed turned. The one-two placement is Australia’s first since Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett’s triumph 20 years ago at the 2004 Athens Olympics.

DAY 2

Jessica Fox Takes Home Her Long-Awaited Gold For Kayak Slalom 

Jess Fox, 30, contributed to Australia’s medal tally by adding the fourth gold of the games. The much-awaited victory came from the women’s canoe slalom K1 discipline on day two at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in East Paris. Fox, who comes from a family of canoe and kayaking greats, took home the gold for the K1 after winning at Tokyo in the C1 division. She now has gold, silver and bronze in each field. Game, set, match, indeed.

The Matildas Deliver The Ultimate Come Back

“Til It’s Done” was the approach The Matildas took to the nail-biting defeat over Zambia on Day 2 of the Paris Olympics. After a devastating 3-0 loss to Germany in their opening game, the football greats delivered a comeback to beat the African team by one goal. The match’s MVP is indisputably Michelle Heyman, who netted the final point in the 90th minute.

DAY 1

Ariarne Titmus Triumphs In 400m Freestyle 

Proving she has the Midas touch in the water, Ariarne Titmus, 23, has taken home her third gold medal in the 400-meter freestyle. She clocked in a speedy finish of 3:57.49 (just over her world record time of 3:55.38) to clear her American rival Katie Ledecky and Canada’s Summer McIntosh for top podium position. Titmus set the tone for the race from the starting blocks, leading the pack from her first dive. Titmus contended against her teammate Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200m freestyle. Though the outcome wasn’t in Titmus’ favour, the win was clear Ariarne and Australia are going for gold.

Emma McKeon & Mollie O’Callaghan Led Australia’s Relay Team To Gold 

After Titmus took home the second gold medal in the game, her teammates Emma McKeon, 30, Shayna Jack, 25, Meg Harris, 22, and Mollie O’Callaghan, 20, swam laps around their competitors in the 4x100m freestyle relay. The thrashing foursome set an Olympic record with their 3:28.92 time, pitting the U.S. and China to the blocks.  This gold led McKeon to become Australia’s most decorated Olympian, but she sadly failed to take home the win in the 100m butterfly—her last individual race. McKeon announced her retirement following the Paris Olympics, with the electric head-to-head an astonishing swan song for the athlete.

Grace Brown Snatched Australia’s First Gold & Ended A 20-Year Medal Drought

“Carrying the Nation” was how Grace Brown’s gold medal win was described following her cycling individual time trial success. Brown, 32, rode a 32.4-kilometre course through the heart of Paris in 39 minutes and 38.24 seconds on day one of the Olympics, becoming the first gold medalist for Australia. She has ended a 20-year drought with Australia failing to place in the road race since Sara Carrigan won in 2004. Brown had previously announced her retirement, with this gold a self-described “high” for the 32-year-old to end her career on.