Prime Minister Anthony Albanese praised the extraordinary performance of Australian athletes at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
“Everywhere there have been green and gold champions to cheer on. And every one of them has done our country proud … they brought us together as Australians,” he told Parliament on Aug. 12.
Australia wrapped up the 2024 Olympics with a record 18 gold medals, 19 silver, and 16 bronze, placing fourth in the overall medal tally.
“If you compare the size of our population—just 27 million—with countries like the United States, China, and, of course, Japan, the three countries ahead of us, they have far more sizeable populations … but over the past two weeks, the heroics of our athletes have captivated Australians,” Albanese added.
The prime minister used this opportunity to encourage the younger generation to spend less time on screens and more time participating in sports.
“They have inspired the next generation of Australians to be active, to play sports, to be part of their community, learn life lessons, and make friends because having a go, participating, and testing yourself is what the Olympic spirit is all about,” he said.
“All of our athletes have given inspiration to boys and girls all over Australia, at a time when I think everyone in this chamber wants to see young Australians spend more time off their devices and on the netball court, in the swimming pool, or on the oval.
“This is a great thing. And can I say this: in victory or defeat, we have been proud of every single one of our athletes because the Olympic spirit is about striving to be your best.”
He also thanked the families and coaches for contributing to the athletes’ journeys.
Leader of the Opposition Peter Dutton also congratulated the Australian athletes for their remarkable performance at the Olympics.
“For a country of 27 million people, Australia’s result was outstanding in terms of medals per capita by any stretch. This is just an amazing result, and it’s a great credit to all those involved,” Dutton said.
“Our athletes showed the world once again that we’re a sporting nation that punches above its weight. Every Olympics has its magnificent and magical moments, which we can commit to our national memory. Paris 2024 was no exception.”
Both leaders also acknowledged Australia’s Chef de Mission, Anna Meares, for her contributions.
Albanese said his government is excited for the 2032 Olympics in Brisbane and is confident it will be as great as the Games Australia hosted in Melbourne and Sydney in the past.
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