Australian Olympic Team Heads to Paris with Record Female Representation

The Australian Olympic team for the Paris Games will feature its highest-ever percentage of women at 55.6%. With 256 women among the 460-member team, this marks the third consecutive Summer Olympics where females outnumber males on the Australian team. The team is forecasted to win 48 medals overall.

The Australian Olympic team will head to the Paris Games with its highest-ever percentage of women — 55.6%.

The Australian Olympic Committee announced on Wednesday that, in stark contrast to the 1924 Paris Olympics where no women participated, this year 256 women are part of the 460-member team. This is the third consecutive Summer Olympics where the Australian team has more women than men.

The 2024 delegation will be the third-largest Australian team to participate in an overseas Olympics, following Tokyo 2020 (486 athletes) and Athens 2004 (482 athletes). Despite its relatively small population of 27 million, the Australian team is likely to be the third-largest delegation in Paris. Additionally, ten Indigenous athletes, including NBA star Patty Mills as the first five-time Indigenous Olympian from Australia, will compete.

According to Nielsen's Gracenote Sports, the Australian team is predicted to win 48 medals, including 13 golds. Chef de mission Anna Meares, a two-time Olympic champion track cyclist, highlighted Australia's consistency in fielding athletes across multiple sports, noting, "I think we take it for granted, but we really do punch above our weight."

(With inputs from agencies.)