Alison Byrnes (Cunningham, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The love of sport runs deep in our nation's veins, from cricket and nippers in the summer months to soccer, football and AFL in the winter months to netball and basketball, which are enjoyed all year round. Australians have a fascination with athletic pursuits. So when the Olympics come around every four years it becomes a very special moment for our nation. It's a time when our entire nation rallies together to cheer on the incredible athletes who don the green and gold.

The Olympic Games is more than just a competition. It is the largest stage where the world's best athletes come together to showcase their astonishing skills, passion and dedication. This year the 460 athletes who represented Australia in Paris have delivered some of the most memorable performances in Australian Olympics history. The Paris Olympics stands as Australia's most successful games to date, with our athletes securing an impressive 53 medals—18 gold, 19 silver and 16 bronze. This is an absolutely incredible achievement. However, what is equally impressive is that women went on to win 13 of Australia's 18 gold medals and 32 of the 53 medals overall across a range of individual and team sports.

One of these incredible women, who has stolen the hearts of all Australians by becoming the most decorated Olympian, is Emma McKeon. Originally from Wollongong in my electorate of Cunningham, Emma is an exceptional athlete and has truly become an inspiration for generations to come. Her grace under pressure and her ability to deliver consistently on the world stage have made her a true icon of Australian sport. Emma made history in the pool when she secured gold with fellow teammates Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack and Meg Harris for the women's 4x100 metres freestyle relay. Not only did the girls win gold but they also set a new Olympic record.

Another Cunningham gold medallist is Saya Sakakibara from Helensburgh. Saya's path to the 2024 Paris Olympics was not without its challenges. After a heartbreaking crash at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which left her with a concussion and nearly led her to quit the sport, Saya pushed through with the encouragement of her brother, Kai, who is also a BMX rider, to train harder and go back to the sport she loves. She went out with a fierce fire to mount a comeback from the Tokyo Games and did what no other Australian BMX racer had ever done before—she won an Olympic gold medal. Her win was a deeply emotional moment, as she dedicated her win to her brother, who had suffered a life-altering injury in 2020. Saya and her brother, Kai, have been immortalised in a mural in their home town of Helensburgh by artist Sarah Rowan. Sarah put the final touches on the mural at 1.20 in the morning before heading home to watch Saya in the final. I got to visit this a couple of weeks ago up in Helensburgh—it is truly amazing. After watching Saya win gold, Sarah hightailed it back to her mural to paint the gold medal on it. It is absolutely amazing to see the community and Australia get behind such an amazing, incredible young woman.

The Illawarra also watched on as Jessica Hull made history, winning silver in the women's 1,500-metre final. She is the first Australian to win an Olympic 1,500-metre medal since Herb Elliott in Rome in 1960. She also became the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in any track event since Sally Pearson at the London 2012 Games. Jessica's performance earned her a well-deserved place on the podium, and after winning the silver medal she hopes to inspire the next generation of athletic stars.

Some more amazing Cunningham Olympians include the likes of Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and Michelle Heyman. All former Illawarra Stingrays, hey represented Australia in soccer with the Matildas. Flynn Ogilvie and Blake Govers are both former University of Wollongong Hockey Club players who represented Australia in hockey with the Kookaburras. Sarah Carli, a member of the Kembla Joggers athletics club, represented Australia in the 400-metre hurdles.

All of our Australian Olympians are truly inspirational people, but one of the most inspiring aspects of our team's performance has been the diversity of talent and background. Our athletes come from all walks of life, representing every corner of our great nation. As we celebrate our athletes' success, we must remember that their achievements go beyond the medals and records. They've united a nation, giving us moments of collective joy and inspiration.