Tania Lawrence (Hasluck, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Upon the close of the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, I, together with the entire nation, celebrate the efforts of all Olympians, but particularly three from my electorate of Hasluck.

Duop Reath of Ellenbrook represented Australia in the men's basketball. He is a powerful centre for the Boomers and made his Australian debut in 2020, when the team received the bronze. Duop was born in South Sudan and moved to Australia when he was just nine. The Boomers return home having got to the quarter finals, where they went down to the wire with Serbia. I've got to say it was probably the most exciting—I will call it the most exciting—game of basketball I've ever had the joy to watch. I congratulate Duop and his teammates.

Giorgia Patten of Gooseberry Hill represented us in the women's eight rowing, as she did previously in 2020. The team finished just out of the medals with a worthy fourth, a mere second behind Great Britain. What's extraordinary is that Giorgia only started rowing in high school, where she clearly showed a huge amount of talent. She was selected for the WA squad shortly thereafter, in 2017.

Alanah Yukich of Upper Swan debuted for Australia in the 400-metre hurdles, and not only that; on 5 August, Alanah ran a personal best in her event. We can ask no more of any athlete than that they should give it their all, and Alanah certainly did that.

The Australian team have given us so much pride at the Paris Olympic Games, and I recognise the years of hard work on the part not just of the athletes but of the formidable team around them. In the words of walker Jemima Montag, play on!