Australian Olympians have begun settling into their Paris accommodation, with several stars revealing the staggering amount of freebies and services they have been gifted.
The contingent of 460 Australian athletes began arriving in France today and some of them provided a behind-the-scenes look at the village they will call home for the next three weeks – and the surprising amount of free items and services they will have access to.
The windows on the lower floors of their accommodation feature images of some of Australia’s most iconic landscapes, including Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef, while signs reading Australia, Merci Paris and Allez Aus adorn the upper balconies.
The Australian operations team has been in Paris for several weeks working to unpack nine shipping containers of uniforms and five containers of general items.
They have prepared 600 uniform bags for athletes and officials, as well as creating an environmental team for members to relax in, including a chat circle, a Woolworths high-performance pantry, recovery spaces and a gym.
Australian tennis player Daria Saville shared images of the on-site beauty salon where athletes can enjoy a free haircut, as well as get their nails done for a small fee.
“Amazing! So grateful! Thank you!!” she posted.
‘Nails aren’t free, but they are very cheap (depending on where you’re from).’
She then showed images of a shelf full of expensive Olay beauty products, all of which were free.
Australian tennis player Daria Saville enjoys a free haircut with her Olympic swag in front of her
All Australian Olympians received a brand new Samsung phone upon arrival at the village.
The sheer amount of merchandise each athlete received is astounding, and water polo star Tilly Kearns gave fans a glimpse of them in her Instagram video (pictured)
Australian Stingers women’s water polo star Tilly Kearns was also impressed.
She shared images of her arrival at the athletes’ village with Stingers teammate Gabi Palm and the array of gifts included in her room with the caption “spoiled.”
“I don’t even know where to start with this,” he said.
She revealed that the athletes received a host of gifts including new shoes, 50,000 Qantas points, luggage and even new Samsung smartphones.
But it wasn’t all a success, as Kearns and Palm laughed at the tennis dress that was included.
It’s not all a success, with water polo players Kearns (foreground) and teammate Gabi Palm (background) poking fun at the tennis dress they received
“I don’t think I’d wear this,” Palm laughed.
Australian sprinter Mia Gross couldn’t contain her excitement as she unpacked Team Australia merchandise in the village.
“I’m literally in tears. I’m an Australian girl at the 2024 Olympics,” she said.
The 23-year-old danced, twirled and smiled as she revealed all the Australian-themed clothing she received, and one seemingly average item left her speechless.
‘No way! It’s a fucking reversible bucket hat!’ he gasped.
In another nod to home and heritage, the Australian section of the village has been adorned with indigenous designs that are also included on the team’s uniforms.
The centrepiece of the village is the Yarn Circle, which was designed by former Indigenous Australian boxer Brad Hore.
“It’s about creating a very safe energy in that circle. We see teams sitting there and hanging out in their own time,” said deputy chef de mission and former Indigenous Australian Olympic hurdler Kyle Vander-Kuyp.
Jessica Fox is pictured with her sister Noemie Fox (left in photo on left), who will be joining her in Paris for the Olympics.
Exterior view of Australia’s Olympic Village allocation for the 2024 Games
The Australian section of the athletes’ village features several large images of iconic Australian locations.
Australian boxer Brad Hore designed the conversation circle (pictured) in the centre of the team section of the village.
The occasion was huge for some of the debuting athletes, such as slalom canoeist Noemie Fox, who will join her gold medallist sister Jessica at the Paris Olympics.
“I can finally wear the green and gold clothes; they’re not just used clothes,” she said.
Jessica also gave us a behind-the-scenes look.
She shared a clip of the huge warehouse where the uniforms are stored.
“One of the best parts of being an athlete is, of course, the Olympic uniform,” she said.
‘I’m super excited to try it with all my kids, I was able to do it with my sister, who is in her first games.
“I think we’re going to look really good.”
Australian athletes will also be able to enjoy plenty of home comforts, with plenty of Milo and Weet-Bix shipped to Paris.
Organizers have also recruited three baristas from the Australian team who will supply the athletes’ daily caffeine requirements at an outdoor café.
“There’s a lot of interest in being a barista for the Australian Olympic team,” laughed chef de mission Anna Meares.
On top of that, Australians will have access to three nutritionists, two psychologists, four wellness officers, two PCR machines, eight ice baths and an embedded Australian Federal Police officer.
Australian Olympians received branded clothing for all occasions in their welcome packs.
The Australian sailing team also received generous gifts upon their arrival in Marseille.
The Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony will begin at 3.30am on Saturday 27 July, but the competition will start a few days earlier.
The action kicks off at 11pm on Wednesday 24 July with a pair of men’s football matches, while the men’s rugby sevens kicks off half an hour later.
Several competitions, including archery and handball, begin before the opening ceremony.
Once the opening ceremony is over, the official ‘Day 1’ will begin on Saturday afternoon.
Medals will be awarded on the same day in cycling, diving, fencing, judo, rugby sevens, shooting, skateboarding and swimming.