Olympics: Australian team head to Paris with highest-ever percentage of women

Sydney: The Australian Olympic team is set to make history at the upcoming Paris Games, boasting its highest-ever representation of women at 55.6%. This marks a significant contrast to the 1924 Paris Olympics when no women were part of the Australian team.

Out of the 460-member squad representing Australia across 33 sports, a total of 256 women will compete. This also marks the third consecutive Summer Olympics where the Australian contingent includes more women than men.

With 10 Indigenous athletes in the team, including NBA star Patty Mills, who became Australia's first five-time Indigenous Olympian, the diversity and breadth of representation are notable.

This Olympics marks Australia's third-largest team to compete abroad, ranking behind Tokyo 2020 (486 athletes) and Athens 2004 (482). Despite Australia's population of 27 million, the Australian Olympic Committee expects it to be the third-largest delegation in Paris.

The team's prospects are promising, with forecasts from Nielsen's Gracenote Sports predicting Australia will secure 48 medals in total, including 13 golds.

Chef de mission Anna Meares, a two-time Olympic champion in track cycling, emphasised the country's consistent prowess across numerous sports.

“We often take it for granted, but we consistently perform above expectations on the global stage," Meares remarked.

The Australian Olympic Committee's announcement underscores a significant milestone in gender representation and diversity within the nation's Olympic history, reflecting the growing inclusivity and strength of Australian athletes. Agencies