PARIS OLYMPICS 2024: Nina Kennedy at forefront of pushing Australia to gold medal record
Australia is on the cusp of sealing its greatest-ever gold medal haul.
The nation’s 17 golds in Tokyo three years ago levelled the mark set at Athens 2004 — in the glow of the Sydney Games — and Australia now has 14 with five days of competition remaining.
Our dominant swimmers captured seven of those medals, while Jess Fox and sister Noemie combined for three in the whitewater events.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Saya Sakakibara and 14-year-old Arisa Trew both claimed the prize out of the action sports, while tennis pair Matt Ebden and John Peers and road cyclist Grace Brown also saluted.
Sailor Matt Wearn needs to finish inside the top seven of his final race to secure a gold on Wednesday night, while Australia’s track cycling team pursuit team has already set a world record on its way to Thursday morning’s head-to-head gold medal race with Great Britain.
It could leave pole-vaulter Nina Kennedy with the task of sealing a third gold for the day’s competition and a 17th for Australia overall when she takes to Stade de France for the women’s final at 2.15am on Thursday morning.
One of the biggest international threats to the pole vault crown, Great Britain’s Molly Caudery, missed the cut for the final.
Australia will also be hopeful one of its two water polo teams can continue their giant-slaying run. Australia’s women’s team led from start to finish in a 9-6 quarter-final victory over Greece and will now face United States in a semifinal, while the men will also play the USA in a quarter-final at 3am on Thursday morning.
And beach volleyball pair Taliqua Clancy and Mariafe Artacho del Solar are through to a semifinal in the women’s competition, where they are desperate to upgrade from their Tokyo silver medal.
Track athlete Jess Hull, who last month became the world record holder in the non-Olympic women’s 2000m, is considered an outside medal chance in the 1500m.
This year’s chef de mission Anna Meares was among the high-profile gold medallists at Athens 20 years ago, a list that also includes Ian Thorpe, Grant Hackett, the Kookaburras and rowing’s oarsome foursome.
Australia’s 2021 haul out of Tokyo was also spearheaded by our swimmers, with Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown, Zac Stubblety-Cook and our most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon bringing home gold.
McKeon, Titmus, McKeown , Mollie O’Callaghan, Jess Fox have already doubled up from those Games, while Wearn is hopeful of adding his name to that list.
