When the first Olympic Games took place in Athens, Greece in 1896, athletes competed across nine sports, a number that pales in comparison to the 40 events on the program for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Taking place across France from July 26th until August 11th, the global sporting event will see more than 10,000 athletes from across the world compete against each other and earn their place on the podium.
What sports will Australian athletes compete in at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?
460 Australian athletes will compete at the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympic Games across 35 different sporting disciplines.
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, 486 Australians competed, in what was the largest offshore Australian team ever, and second biggest overall behind the 632 Australian athletes that competed at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games.
The sports for Olympics that athletes will compete in at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games include:
- Archery
- Artistic swimming
- Athletics
- Badminton
- Basketball
- Boxing
- Breaking
- Canoe Slalom/Canoe Sprint
- Cycling
- Diving
- Equestrian
- Fencing
- Football
- Golf
- Gymnastics
- Handball
- Hockey
- Judo
- Modern Pentathlon
- Rowing
- Rugby 7s
- Sailing
- Shooting
- Skateboarding
- Sport Climbing
- Surfing
- Swimming
- Table Tennis
- Taekwondo
- Tennis
- Triathlon
- Volleyball
- Water Polo
- Weightlifting
- Wrestling
Will there be any new sports at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games?
At the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, four new sports made their Olympic debut – Karate, Skateboarding, Surfing, and Sport Climbing.
Four years prior at the Rio de Janeiro 2016 Olympic Games, golf and rugby 7s were added,
And now at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Breaking has been added as an official sporting event.
According to the official Paris 2024 Olympic Games, Breaking can be described as “a style of dance [that] is characterised by acrobatic movements, stylised footwork and the key role played by the DJ and the master of ceremonies (MC) during battles.”
The breaking competition will consist of individual “battles” where competitors will have to improvise and adapt their dance moves to the beat of the DJ’s tracks.
Despite the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games still being more than four years away, the International Olympic Committee has already confirmed which sports will be added to the schedule of events: Baseball, Cricket, Flag Football, Lacrosse, Squash, and Softball.
How many medals has Australia won at the Olympics?
Since Australia’s first olympian Edwin Flack competed at the very first Olympic Games in 1986 and won both the 800 metres and 1500 metres running events, the Australian Olympic team has won 558 medals at the Summer Olympics.
This includes 167 gold, 177 silver, and 214 bronze medals.
Curiously, Australia and Greece are actually the only two nations to have participated in every Summer Olympic Games of the modern era (1896 – present).
Who is Australia’s most decorated Olympian?
Swimmer Emma McKeon is currently Australia’s most decorated Olympian and has an impressive five gold, two silver, and four bronze Olympic medals in her collection.
She is closely trailed by fellow swimmers Ian Thorpe – who has five gold, three silver, and one bronze – and Leisel Jones – who has three gold, five silver, and one bronze.
Impressive to say the least!
Want more Olympic content? Check out the articles below:
- Australia’s best moments at the Olympics over the years
- The surprising royals who have competed at an Olympic Games
- Meet Australia’s most controversial Olympians
- Kerri Pottharst and Natalie Cook open up about their Olympic return
- The biggest scandals in Olympic history
- Meet the Aussie athlete who amputated a limb to compete at the Olympics
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