australia sets aside woes for rio champions welcome
Tuesday 18 March 2025
Last Updated : GMT 09:40:38
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Australia sets aside woes for Rio 'champions' welcome

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicleAustralia sets aside woes for Rio 'champions' welcome

Australian Olympic gold medalist Mack Horton (L)
Sydney - Arab Today

Australia set aside squabbles over under-performing athletes on Wednesday to welcome home the Rio Olympics team as heroes.

Generous public funding for a return of just half the expected medal tally -- Australia's worst performance since Barcelona in 1992 -- have sparked recriminations.

But Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull made light of such woes in leading the tributes at a packed ceremony in an aircraft hangar at Sydney airport.

"Every single one of you is a champion," he told the cheering crowd.

"Our performance is not just measured by the final medal tally.

"We are committed to supporting Australian sport, both our participants at the grassroots level, the young boys and girls starting out, and elite athletes like yourselves," Turnbull said.

Australia finished 10th on the medals table with eight gold, 11 silver and 10 bronze medals.

"On behalf of all Australians, congratulations... welcome home, well done," the prime minister added.

Chef de mission Kitty Chiller, who had to explain so many failures and missteps to the public, was equally positive.

"Our 421 athletes went to Rio and did their absolute best and that is all that we ever asked of anyone," she said.

"This was a games where we demonstrated the strength of our youth. Sixty-five percent of our team were Olympic rookies and 43 percent were under the age of 25," Chiller said, looking forward to Tokyo 2020.

"Our Olympic team is not just about medals. Our team culture and respect for one another has been a key part of this journey."

Chiller admitted that "Rio certainly had its challenges" after the Australian team at first refused to move into sub-standard accommodation, but added: "The village was the best ever, eventually."

The end of the games saw relations fracture between the Australian Olympic Committee and the government-funded Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in a stormy debate over the appointment of businessmen as heads of Olympic sports.

Australia's highly ranked swimmers were at the vanguard of medal hopes but came away with just three gold.

Source: AFP

themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

australia sets aside woes for rio champions welcome australia sets aside woes for rio champions welcome

 



Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle

GMT 11:22 2016 Saturday ,30 July

Harry Potter play hits London stage

GMT 11:06 2017 Monday ,10 April

Five Things We Have Learned From The Masters

GMT 07:52 2017 Sunday ,17 December

EU, OIC hold high-level meeting

GMT 12:54 2016 Saturday ,10 December

Stones roll back the years with chart-topping album

GMT 09:56 2017 Friday ,27 January

Tackling migration from Libya "crucial"

GMT 08:59 2017 Monday ,13 November

HM King thanked by Singapore president

GMT 09:27 2014 Saturday ,19 July

The circle of chaos

GMT 09:37 2017 Monday ,30 January

Iran's Oscar-winning director to skip awards

GMT 11:14 2012 Friday ,09 March

India on diplomatic tightrope

GMT 13:09 2012 Wednesday ,14 March

Saudi to cover oil shortfall
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
Themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle
 
 Themuslimchronicle Facebook,themuslimchronicle facebook  Themuslimchronicle Twitter,themuslimchronicle twitter Themuslimchronicle Rss,themuslimchronicle rss  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube  Themuslimchronicle Youtube,themuslimchronicle youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2025 ©

muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle muslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle themuslimchronicle
themuslimchronicle
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle, themuslimchronicle