Athletics: Best result since Melbourne 1956

The Australian athletics competitors at Paris 2024 have had a record-breaking Games winning seven medals - one gold, two silver and four bronze.

Only at Melbourne 1956 did Australia win more athletics medals (four gold, two silver, six bronze). There was also an additional two finalists, three Australian records broken and a large number of personal bests and season bests.

Nina Kennedy’s pole vault gold in Paris was the first for Australia since Sally Pearson’s sprint hurdles gold at London 2012.

The top performances and medals began on the opening day of athletics competition with Jemima Montag’s brilliant bronze in the Women’s 20km Race Walk under the shadows of the Eiffel Tower. Only Australia’s second Olympic medal in this event.

The first medals in Stade de France came in the Women’s High Jump. Nicola Olysagers jumped to silver, to match her breakthrough medal in Tokyo and her teammate Eleanor Patterson won bronze to go with her other major championships medals.

On the same magical night, as Nina was at one end of the stadium winning pole vault gold, Matthew Denny achieved his lifetime dream of an Olympic discus medal. Matt won bronze in the best Olympic final in history with the Olympic record broken by both athletes ahead of him.

When competition returned to Trocadero for the first marathon mixed relay event at the Olympics, the Australians were good enough to be part of history. Rhydian Cowley and Jemima Montag combined to win bronze. Jemima’s second medal for the Games. 

There had been high expectations for Jesssica Hull to win a medal in the 1500m but it had never been done before and one of the all-time greats and Kenyan world record holder Faith Kepyogen was the clear favourite. Jess was not leaving Paris without a medal and she handled the pace, race tactics and pressure to win a sensational silver.

There were a total of nine top-eight performances. On top of the seven medals, Kurtis Marschall was sixth in the pole vault and Kathryn Mitchell was seventh in the javelin.

There were also three new Australian records set. Jemima in the 20km walk, the men’s 4x100m relay and Peyton Craig’s U20 record in the 800m.

Andrew Faichney, the Head of Delegation for Athletics, was thrilled with the teams’ performance.

“We had our best World championships last year, but it's not the Olympics and this is the Olympics. We've come out and won seven medals, just incredible!” Andrew said.

“To cap off the track competition with a silver for Jess is amazing, exceptional. It’s Australia’s first track medal for middle distance since 1968. So I mean, that in itself says a hell of a lot. They're bloody hard to win.”

Andrew was impressed with how the team handled the pressure of the Olympic Games with a great conversion rate from medal chances to medals.

“Their ability to handle the pressure has been fantastic. We've come in with eight medal or nine medal chances. So to finish with seven medals in this environment at the Olympics is fantastic.

“We have delivered. That's all credit to the coaches. We've got such a great coaching group from a system point of view, we put a hell of a lot into it, but it's down to the athletes and the coaches and what they do individually to be able to come in here and come and win a medal they've all done that so well.”

Australian athletics medals at Paris 2024

Gold – Nina Kennedy, Pole Vault

Silver – Nicola Olysagers, High Jump

Silver – Jesscia Hull, 1500m

Bronze – Eleanor Patterson, High Jump

Bronze – Matt Denny, Discus

Bronze – Jemima Montag, 20km Race Walk

Bronze – Jemima Montag / Rhydian Cowley, Marathon Race Walk Relay Mixed

By Andrew Reid, Athletics Australia and Australian Olympic Committee
Posted 12/08/2024