Ms BYRNES (Cunningham) (16:34): Thank you, Deputy Speaker. As a nation, the love of sports runs deep in our veins. From cricket and nippers in the summer months to soccer, footy and AFL in the winter months to netball and basketball which are enjoyed all year round.

Australians have a fascination with athletic pursuits.

So, when the Olympics comes around every four years, it becomes a special moment for us all.

It's a time when our entire nation rallies together to cheer on the incredible athletes who don the green and gold.

The Olympic Games are more than just a competition.

It is the largest stage where the world's best athletes come together to showcase their astonishing skills, passion and dedication.

This year, the 460 athletes who represented Australia in Paris, have delivered some of the most memorable performances in Australian Olympic history.

The Paris Olympics stand as Australia's most successful Games to date, with our athletes securing an impressive 53 medals – 18 gold, 19 silver, and 16 bronze.

This is an absolutely incredible achievement.

However, what is as equally impressive is that women went on to win 13 of Australia’s 18 gold medals and 32 of the 53 medals overall across a range of individual and team sports.

One of these incredible women, who has stolen the hearts of all Australians by becoming the most decorated Australian Olympian, is Emma McKeon.

Originally from Wollongong in my electorate of Cunningham, Emma is an exceptional athlete and has truly become an inspiration for generations to come.

Her grace under pressure and her ability to deliver consistently on the world stage have made her a true icon in Australian sport.

Emma made history in the pool, when she secured gold with fellow teammates, Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, and Meg Harris, for the Women's 4x100m Freestyle Relay.

Not only did the girls win gold, but they also set a new Olympic record!

Another Cunningham Gold medallist is Saya Sakakibara from Helensburgh.

Saya’s path to the 2024 Paris Olympics was not without challenges.

After a heartbreaking crash at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics which left her with a concussion and nearly led her to quit the sport.

Saya pushed through with the encouragement of her brother Kai, who is also a BMX rider, to train harder and go back to the sport she loves.

She went out with a fierce fire to mount a comeback from the Tokyo games and did what no other Australian BMX racer had done before—she won an Olympic gold medal.

Her win was a deeply emotional moment, as she dedicated her win to her brother, who had suffered a life-altering injury in 2020.

Saya and her brother Kai have been immortalised in a mural in their hometown of Helensburgh by artist Sarah Rowan.

Sarah put the final touches on the mural at 1:20 in the morning before heading home to watch Saya in the final.

After watching Saya win gold, Sarah hightailed it back to her mural to paint the gold medal on her mural.

It is absolutely amazing to see the community and Australia get behind such an incredible young woman.

The Illawarra also watched on as Jessica Hull made history winning silver in the Women’s 1500m Final.

She is the first Australian to win an Olympic 1500m medal since Herb Elliott in Rome in 1960.

She also became the first Australian to win an Olympic medal in any track event since Sally Pearson at the London 2012 Games.

Jessica’s performance not only earned her a well-deserved place on the podium.

With winning the silver medal, she hopes to inspire the next generation of athletics stars.

Some more amazing Cunningham Olympians include the likes of:

• Caitlin Foord, Mary Fowler and Michelle Hayman all former Illawarra Stingrays represented Australia in soccer with the Matildas.
• Flynn Ogilvie and Blake Govers are both former University of Wollongong Hockey Club players represented Australia in hockey with the Kookaburras.
• Sarah Carli a member of the Kembla Joggers Athletics Club represented Australia in the 400m Hurdles.

All of our Australian Olympians are truly inspirational people.

But one of the most inspiring aspects of our team's performance has been the diversity of talent and background.

Our athletes come from all walks of life, representing every corner of our great nation.

As we celebrate our athletes' success, we must remember that their achievements go beyond the medals and records.

They’ve united a nation, giving us moments of collective joy and inspiration.