Australia’s relentless, driven, strong and downright awe-inspiring female athletes are leading the charge in what is becoming an history-making Olympics for Australia this year.
If you weren’t already glued to your television watching Team Australia battle it out in several adrenaline-pumping finals this week, allow us to proudly catch you up.
Over the first seven days of the Tokyo games, we watched Australia win no less than nine gold medals in total – more than we made throughout the entirely of the 2016 Rio Olympics (eight were taken home by Aussies that year). Over the weekend, we added five more to the list, taking us to 14 golds in total.
Understandably, our working days have quickly become two-fold—meetings and desk time is counterbalanced with the television airing sounds of swimming pools, canoeing, rowing, soccer fields and more.
Leading the charge was of course an extravaganza of wins in the pool. Emma McKeon, Ariarne Titmus and Kaylee McKeown took home a blinding six golds for Australia between them.
Each broke records, too: Titmus won both the 200m and 400m freestyle events. McKeon became the most celebrated Australian Olympian of all time by winning no less than four golds amidst a staggering seven-medal haul. And McKeown took home three golds herself, one of which was blissfully shared with McKeon in the medley relay along with Cate Campbell and Chelsea Hodges.
Aptly, both Emma and Kaylee are henceforth known as the ‘Super Macs’.
Over in the canoeing realm, Jessica Fox did the country immensely proud by winning gold in the C1 as well as a bronze in the K1.
Ever the realist, she discussed the mentally taxing journey she’d been on to get here after leaving Rio with a bronze and silver medal in 2016.
Referencing the brave withdrawal of leading world gymnast Simone Biles earlier in the week, Jessica herself said she empathised, explaining she’d actually thrown up before winning gold in the C1 (she’d never done that before, to clarify).
“It’s very tough to be doing this and I haven’t really been watching the news and been on social media as much as normal.
“I’ve definitely felt that load and that pressure and there was a lot of relief at the finishing line,” she told AAP.
In more inspiring golds for Australia, the women’s four in rowing took home the top spot alongside a brilliant win from the mens four.
And on that matter, male athletes have been just as influential in bringing home gold for Australia.
Izaac Stubblety-Cook came out on top in the mens 200m breaststroke, Logan Martin took home a nice piece of gold bling for winning the BMX freestyle final and Matt Wearn won the mens laser sailing final to seal our 14th gold for the country.
Australia now sits fourth on the overall Olympics table behind China, the United States and Japan. Proud is an understatement.
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