Paris Olympics 2024: Swim great Emma McKeon leads Australia's Olympic retirees

As Australia’s athletes bid au revoir to Paris, the country’s most decorated Olympian Emma McKeon leads a swag of retirements.

The 30-year-old will hang up her goggles having collected 14 medals across three Games, including six gold - an Australian record - three silvers and five bronze medals.

“I’m really happy that I was able to step up when it did come to the Olympics,” McKeon said.

“I definitely will miss it. It has brought me a lot of great relationships and great experiences and shaped me into the person I am.”

In Paris, McKeon won gold as part of Australia’s triumphant women’s 4x100m freestyle relay team, a silver in the 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the mixed 4x100m medley relay.

Lauren Jackson came out of retirement to steer the Opals on to the Paris podium and collect her fifth Olympic medal and while she didn’t see much court time in her last Games, the 43-year-old won admiration from teammates and rival players.

“She’s a legend,” said Opals centre Ezi Magbegor.

“Just her being here, you can feel the difference. There’s a reverence for her that lifts us and just motivates us to give everything we have.”

After a string of fourth places at his previous three Olympics, track cyclist Glaetzer finally claimed an individual medal for the first time at his farewell Games.

Javelin thrower Kathryn Mitchell almost missed her fourth Games after rupturing her calf but the 42-year-old continued her impressive Olympic record of making the final in each outing.

“It’s not a goodbye right now but it’s certainly the end of my place in Olympic history,” an emotional Mitchell said.

Ageless diver Melissa Wu, competing at her fifth Games, appeared to pass the torch to teenage star Ellie Cole.

Overcoming a serious back injury to compete in Paris, the 32-year-old reflected on stellar career.

“Being able to go to a fifth Games is a pretty amazing achievement,” Wu said.

“I don’t think I’ve actually missed any final at any major event in my whole career, so that’s pretty insane.”

There’s set to be generational change at the Boomers with skipper Patty Mills and Joe Ingles tipped to bow out after five Olympics while Matthew Dellavedova played his fourth.

Australia’s rowers, who leave Paris with their lowest Olympic medal yield in 36 years, are also set for some changes.

With five members of the men’s eight aged 29 or over, including gold medallists Spencer Turrin, Jack Hargreaves and Alex Purnell, there’s likely to be fresh faces come 2028 in Los Angeles.

Triple Games sprint kayaker Alyce Wood has already called time while Kookaburras star Eddie Ockenden, one of Australia’s Paris flag bearers, admits that at 37, a sixth Games may be out of reach.

Marathon mum Sinead Diver, aged 47, only managed one kilometre in Paris before being forced out through injury, while 32-year-old mountain biker Rebecca Henderson says she’s uncertain of a fifth Games after signing off from Paris with her best-ever result, finishing 13th.