Hey there, Olympic champs, a warm welcome from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia!
Australian Olympians were given a warm welcome at Sydney airport after returning home from their most successful Olympic campaign. The Australian team achieved a national record with 18 gold medals and 53 total medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics. They also celebrated their greatest single-day performance with four gold medals and two bronze.
The 460-member strong Olympic team arrived in Sydney on Wednesday morning and was greeted by a large crowd of fans and a special ceremony.
Swimmer Cam McEvoy, who won a gold medal in the men’s 50m freestyle, mentioned that it had been eight years since athletes received such a warm welcome on home soil, with the previous Tokyo Games taking place during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Reflecting on the experience, McEvoy said, “As we were pulling up to the hangar, we could see everyone waiting around here and you could kind of feel the excitement on board building as we got along. It’s a little nervous as you're pulling up and about to walk in front of everyone, but also a really cool experience.”
Fellow gold medal-winning swimmers Meg Harris and Lani Pallister, who have known each other since their junior and Nippers surf lifesaving days, expressed their delight at being there together. Harris said, “I did not expect the world to get around it like this. Seeing that support and everything is so incredible and that’s one of the reasons we did so well because we felt everyone lifting around us.”
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the Olympians back home, praising their historic accomplishments. He said, “Every single one of these athletes has done us proud. And as the athletes went down the stairs there, not everyone had a medal around their neck – but every single one of them was worth their weight in gold. For those of us who were back here staying up late and getting up early, we want you to know that what you have done is inspire us, give us joy, give us excitement, and lifted up our whole nation due to your performance.”
