Australia is gearing up for a thrilling showing at the Paris Olympics, with numerous medal hopefuls set to make an impact in a wide range of events.
Our swimmers are expected to excel in the pool, although they will face tough competition from their traditional rivals, the United States. The athletics contingent is also packed with interesting prospects in multiple disciplines.
In team sports, the Matildas top our list of contenders, with strong medal-game pushes also expected from Australia’s Boomers and Opals in basketball, as well as the Kookaburras and Hockeyroos in field hockey.
Fans should also expect plenty of upsets and underdog victories as Australia aim for a record medal haul in Paris. Here are the competitors to watch out for and when to tune in (all times are AEST)…
SWIM
Ariarne Titmus (center) will be part of one of the strongest women’s swimming teams in history
Women
Emma McKeon in the women’s 50m freestyle final, 2:30 a.m., Monday, August 5
Mollie O’Callaghan and Emma McKeon in the women’s 100m freestyle final, 4:30am, Thursday 1 August
Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan in the women’s 200m freestyle final, 5:48 a.m., Tuesday, July 30
Ariarne Titmus in the women’s 400m freestyle final, 4:55 a.m., Sunday, July 28
Ariarne Titmus in the women’s 800m freestyle final, 5:09 a.m., Sunday, August 4
Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 100m backstroke final, 4:57am, Wednesday 31 July
Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Meg Harris and Emma McKeon (subject to change) in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay final, 5:37am, Sunday 28 July
Ariarne Titmus, Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack and Brianna Throssell (subject to change) in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay final, 5:48 a.m., Friday, August 2
Kaylee McKeown is expected to spark a gold rush for the Australian group in Paris
Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 200m individual medley, 4:59 a.m., Sunday, August 4
Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 100m backstroke final, 4:57 a.m., Wednesday, July 31
Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 200m backstroke final, 4:39 a.m., Saturday, August 3
Ariarne Titmus in the women’s 200m freestyle final, 5:48 a.m., Tuesday, July 30
Ariarne Titmus in the women’s 400m freestyle final, 4:55 a.m., Sunday, July 28
Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Brianna Throssell and Shayna Jack (subject to change) in the women’s 4x100m medley relay final, 3:35 a.m., Monday, August 5
Men
Kyle Chalmers will be the veteran of the men’s team and the linchpin of the relay teams.
Cameron McEvoy in the men’s 50m freestyle final, 4:30am, Sunday 3 August
Kyle Chalmers in the men’s 100m freestyle final, 6:15 a.m., Thursday, August 1
Elijah Winnington and Sam Short in the men’s 400m freestyle final, 4:42 a.m., Sunday, July 28
Elijah Winnington and Sam Short in the men’s 800m freestyle final, 5:03 a.m., Wednesday, July 31
Sam Short in the men’s 1500m freestyle final, 2:36 a.m., Monday, August 5
Kyle Chalmers, Jack Cartwright, Flynn Southam and Kai James Taylor (subject to change) in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay final, 5:50 a.m., Sunday, July 28
Kyle Chalmers, Isaac Cooper, Matthew Temple, Joshua Yong (subject to change) in the men’s 4x100m medley relay final, 3:12 a.m., Monday, August 5
Elijah Winnington, Maximillian Giuliani, Thomas Neill and Kai James Taylor (subject to change) in the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay final, 5:59 a.m., Wednesday, July 31
Athletics
Nicola Olyslagers will be part of Australia’s double medal threat in the high jump in Paris
Nina Kennedy, women’s pole vault final, 3 a.m., Thursday, August 8
Kurtis Marschall, men’s pole vault final, 3 a.m., Tuesday, August 6
Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson, women’s high jump final, 3:50 a.m., Monday, August 5
Peter Bol, 800m final, 3:25am, Sunday, August 11
Oli Hoare, 1500m final, 4:50am, Wednesday 7 August
Kelsey-Lee Barber and Mackenzie Little, women’s javelin throw final, 3:40 a.m., Sunday, August 11
Jemima Montag, 20km walk, 17:20, Thursday 1 August
Jessica Hull in the 5000m final, 5:10 a.m., Tuesday, August 6
Matt Denny, Men’s Discus Final, 4:25am, Thursday, August 8
team sports
The Matildas face tough opposition and will need to make history without captain Sam Kerr
Matildas Women’s Football, Bronze Medal Match, 11pm, Friday 9 August. Gold Medal Match, 1am, Sunday 11 August.
Women’s Rugby Sevens, Bronze Medal Match, 3:00 am, Wednesday, July 31. Gold Medal Match, 3:45 am, Wednesday, July 31
Men’s Rugby Sevens, Bronze Medal Match, 3:00am, Sunday, July 28. Gold Medal Match, 3:45am, Sunday, July 28
Bronze Medal Match, Australian Opals Women’s Basketball Team, 19:30, Sunday 11 August. Gold Medal Match, 23:30, Sunday 11 August
Josh Giddey to lead Australian Boomers after historic medal win in Tokyo
Australian Boomers Men’s Basketball Bronze Medal Match, Saturday, August 10 at 7:00 p.m. Gold Medal Match, Sunday, August 11 at 5:30 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match, Friday, August 9 at 10:00 p.m., Women’s Field Hockey. Gold Medal Match, Saturday, August 10 at 4:00 a.m.
Bronze Medal Match, Kookaburras Men’s Field Hockey Team, 10:00 p.m., Thursday, August 8. Gold Medal Match, 3:00 a.m., Friday, August 9.
Paul Burnett and Chris McHugh, men’s beach volleyball, bronze medal match, 5:00 a.m., Sunday, August 11. Gold medal match, 6:30 a.m., Sunday, August 11
Mariafe Artacho and Taliqua Clancy, women’s beach volleyball, bronze medal match, 5:00 a.m., Saturday, August 10. Gold medal match, 6:30 a.m., Saturday, August 10
Another sports
Harry Garside will look to improve on his bronze medal at the Tokyo 2021 Olympic Games
Boxing
Harry Garside, Men’s Lightweight 63.5kg Boxing Final, 6:34am, Thursday 8th August
BMX bike
Logan Martin in the men’s BMX freestyle final, 10:45 p.m., Wednesday, July 31
Saya Sakakibara in the final of the women’s BMX race, 5:50 a.m., Saturday, August 3
Dive
Cassiel Rousseau, men’s 10m platform final, 23:00, Saturday 10 August
Canoe
Jessica Fox, Women’s Canoe Slalom, Kayak Individual Final, 1:45 a.m., Monday, July 29. Women’s Canoe Individual Final, 1:25 a.m., Thursday, Aug. 1. Women’s Kayak Cross Final, 12:55 a.m., Tuesday, Aug. 6.
Jessica Fox will be looking for up to three medals in the canoe events in Paris
Cycling
Michael Matthews, Simon Clarke and Luke Plapp, Men’s Road Race, 19:00, Saturday 3 August.
Grace Brown, Ruby Roseman-Gannon and Lauretta Hanson, women’s road race, 10:00 p.m., Sunday, August 4.
Matthew Glaetzer, Matthew Richardson and Leigh Hoffman, men’s team sprint, bronze medal race, 4:02 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7. Gold medal race, 4:07 a.m., Wednesday, Aug. 7.
Kristina Clonan, Georgia Baker, Alex Manly, Maeve Plouffe, Sophie Edwards, Chloe Moran, Madison Women’s Final, 2:09am, Saturday, August 10
Rowing
Annabelle McIntyre, Jessica Morrison in the Women’s Pairs Final, Final B (positions 7-12), 18:54, Friday 2 August. Final A (positions 1-6), 19:42, Friday 2 August.
Shooting
Penny Smith, Women’s Skeet Shooting Final, 11:30 p.m., Wednesday, July 31
Navigation
Matt Wearn in the ILCA 7 Men’s Dinghy Medal Race, 19:00, Tuesday 6 August
Arisa Trew has a strong chance of winning a gold medal when skateboarding returns to the Olympics
Skateboard
Arisa Trew, Women’s Park Final, 1:30am, Wednesday, August 7
Keegan Palmer, Men’s Park Final, 1:30am, Thursday, August 8
Surf
Molly Picklum, Women’s Bronze Medal Match, 10:53 a.m., Wednesday, July 31. Gold Medal Match, 12:15 p.m., Wednesday, July 31
taekwondo
Stacey Hymer, Women’s 57kg Bronze Medal Match, 4:35am, Friday, August 9. Gold Medal Match, 5:39am, Friday, August 9
Leon Sejranovic
Weightlifting
Eileen Cikamatana, women +81 kg, 19:30, Sunday 11 August
