Females dominate Australia’s top 50 athletes of 2024
On the world’s sporting stage Australia once again batted way above average with incredible results in the Olympics and across the sporting spectrum. These are our 50 biggest stars of the year.
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It was another year of dominance by Australia’s female athletes, with three of the best battling it out for the No.1 slot in the country’s top athletes of 2024.
Many would have Kaylee McKeown in that position, others would choose the retiring Camperdown cycling champion Grace Brown while paddler Jess Fox was also right there in the mix.
Let’s not forget Jakara Anthony, our winter sports champion, while Nina Kennedy also delivered on the big stage time and time again. So without further ado, this is the top 50 Aussie athletes of the year.
50 Alexa Leary
(swimming, 23)
In 2021, Leary suffered life-changing brain injuries after a cycling accident. Three years later she broke her own world record at Paris in the S9 women’s 100m freestyle.
49 Jas Garner
(AFLW, 30)
When they look back on the finest players in the first decade of AFLW, Garner will be there with Erin Phillips. Seven All-Australian selections was topped off by a Premiership for North Melbourne.
48 Kyle Chalmers
(swimming, 26)
Extraordinary longevity in the 100m freestyle after winning gold way back at Rio de Janeiro in 2016, then silver at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021 and another silver at the Paris games.
47 Maya Stewart
(rugby union, 24)
Her exhilarating play at either fullback or wing makes her a try-scoring machine as evidenced by her breaking the record for most tries in Wallaroo history, touching down in seven consecutive games.
46 Jack Robinson
(surfing, 27)
Started surfing at age three, Robinson grew up in Margaret River where he claimed the 2024 Pro before also winning the Henley Pro at Sunset Beach, and then winning Olympic silver.
45 Julia Robinson
(rugby league, 26)
The flying Brisbane winger produced one of the more dominant seasons in the young NRLW history, being voted most consistent, best back and Players’ Player.
44 Matthew Ebden
(tennis, 37)
Proved age is irrelevant in the world of doubles, winning at the Australian Open with Rohan Bopanna and the Paris Olympics with John Peers. Reached No.1 in the world in February.
43 Caitlin Foord
(soccer, 30)
In the absence of Sam Kerr, Foord has helped fill the void with her skill and vision. Able to play multiple positions, it’s as a forward for the Matildas and Arsenal where she did her best work in 2024.
42 Lauren Parker
(para-cycling, para-triathlon, 36)
From Newcastle, Parker created Paralympic history when she became Australia’s first dual-sport gold medallist at the same games, winning the Para-triathlon and H1-4 women’s road race.
41 Ash Gardner
(cricket, 27)
Australia is so lucky to have all-rounders of the calibre of Gardner and Annabel Sutherland. Gardner’s off-spin is a threat in all three forms and she consistently makes scores at vital times.
40 Nick Daicos
(AFL, 21)
For the second year running he ran second in the Brownlow Medal count, but went two better at Collingwood to win his first Copeland Trophy.
39 Will Brown
(motor racing, 26)
The larrikin from Toowoomba who flies aircraft for fun drove his Red Bull to Supercars victory for Triple Eight over teammate Broc Feeney, claiming a podium in every race and winning five times.
38 Arisa Trew
(skateboarding, 14)
Born to a Japanese mother and Welsh father, Trew was Australia’s darling of the Paris Olympics when she became our youngest ever gold medallist.
37 Alanna Smith
(basketball, 28)
Named as a forward in the FIBA All-Star Five at the Paris Olympics, Smith scored 13 points with 12 massive rebounds in the bronze-medal winning game over Belgium.
36 Sophie Garbin
(netball, 27)
After moving to the Melbourne Vixens, goal shooter Garbin produced a stunning season where she won both the International Player of the Year and the Liz Ellis Diamond.
35 Dyson Daniels
(basketball, 21)
The Bendigo boy has flourished since moving to the Atlanta Hawks, becoming the first player since Michael Jordan to shoot 15-plus points and have five plus steals in four consecutive games.
34 James Turner
(Paralympics, 28)
An Australian Paralympic athlete and soccer player with cerebral palsy, Turner added to his gold and silver from the Tokyo games by winning two gold at Paris, including a world record in the 400m T36.
33 Noemie Fox
(canoeing, 27)
The younger sister of Jess, Naomie appeared in her first Olympics in Paris but “oh, what a day it was”. Noemie was undefeated going into the slalom Kayak cross final.
32 Elijah Winnington
(swimming, 24)
After going to the Tokyo Olympics as 400m favourite and bombing out, Winnington claimed redemption with silver in Paris before winning gold at the World Short Course championships.
31 Rob Valetini
(rugby union, 26)
The son of Fijian parents who won back to back John Eales medals (only the third player to do so after Michael Hooper and Israel Folau) playing in the backrow where he rates with the world’s best.
30 Tarryn Aiken
(rugby league)
A unanimous choice as International Player of the Year after her heroics for the Jillaroos (Pacific Cup title); Queensland (State of Origin); and the Sydney Roosters in winning the NRLW Premiership.
29 Ezi Magbegor
(basketball, 25)
When it really mattered at the Paris Olympics, it was Ezi who made the difference, scoring 30 points with 13 rebounds to lead the Opals to a bronze medal when beating Belgium 85-81.
28 Liam Paro
(boxing, 28)
The year didn’t end as he hoped when he dropped a split points decision to lose his IBF super lightweight world championship – a title he boxed brilliantly to win over Subrield Matias in June. Paro will be back.
27 Josh Hazlewood
(cricket, 33)
The quiet achiever of Australia’s pace trio who performs with economic efficiency in all three forms of the game. Picking between he, Mitchell Starc and Pat Cummins often comes down to personal preference.
26 Jackson Irvine
(soccer, 31)
How many Australian players have captained both the Socceroos and a major league club (FC St Pauli in the Bundesliga)? Irvine has been an inspired Australian constant for a decade.
25 Keegan Palmer
(skateboarding, 21)
As a two-time Olympic gold medallist, winning back-to-back men’s park competitions, the goofy-footer is on his way to legendary status after turning professional at age 14.
24 Matt Wearn
(sailing, 29)
The one-time AFL aspirant who took up sailing at five, went to Paris as the targeted man in the Laser class as he was the defending Olympic champion. Wearn handled it with ease, winning a second gold.
23 Skye Nicolson
(boxing, 29)
After dominating in Vegas to take the WBC featherweight world title, Nicolson has the chance to become not just Australia’s finest female pugilist, but one of our best fighters full stop.
22 Jahrome Hughes
(rugby league, 30)
The Melbourne Storm halfback was a key component in his club reaching another NRL Grand Final, an effort highlighted by his win in the Dally M award, Australian rugby league’s highest honour.
21 Patrick Cripps
(AFL, 29)
Won his second Brownlow and fifth John Nicholls medal as Carlton’s best and fairest and fourth All-Australian nomination. One of those rare players who can carry his side to victory.
20 Annabel Sutherland
(cricket, 23)
Smashed 210 and took five wickets against South Africa in her debut Test. Takes wickets in all three forms of the game and just needs to lift her T20 run-getting to her ODI standard.
19 Alex de Minaur
(tennis, 25)
It was his breakthrough year where he cracked the top 10, made the season-end ATP finals and started to regularly beat players ranked above him. Now for a Grand Slam singles title
18 Cam McEvoy
(swimming, 30)
The old man of Australian swimming turned back the clock when, in his fourth Olympics, McEvoy flew down the Paris 50m pool to prove his radical training regimen worked.
17 Jessica Hull
(athletics, 28)
This was the year when she loudly announced herself on the world stage, breaking the 2000m world record and running 3min 50.83sec for the 1500m on her way to Olympic silver.
16 Hannah Green
(golf, 27)
The first Australian woman to win three times on the LPGA tour since Karrie Webb in 2006, Green was ranked 8th by season’s end after securing the BMW LPGA Ladies Championship.
15 Saya Sakakibara
(BMX, 25)
She was the form rider going into the Paris Olympics, winning the UCI World Cup for the second consecutive year. But you still have to nail it at the games, something Sakakibara did in every race.
14 Jordan Mailata
(NFL, 27)
The Sydney lad who is the son of Samoan parents is a key component as an offensive line for the Philadelphia Eagles, a side that has genuine claims on the Superbowl.
13 Mollie O’Callaghan
(swimming, 20)
Hard to separate she and Titmus at times, but “Arnie” also claimed two individual silver. Mollie was brilliant in beating her training partner and great rival in the 200m freestyle.
12 Jai Opetaia
(boxing, 29)
Australia’s best boxer (by a long way) remained undefeated in 2024, beating Jack Massey and Mairis Briedes to keep his number one ranking as a Cruiserweight with The Ring magazine.
11 Nina Kennedy
(pole vault, 27)
Vaulted her way into Australian hearts by taking gold at the Paris Olympics in a pursuit that grows in popularity. Then showed her cheeky side when thanking “Chompers” in an interview with Channel 9 broadcaster Tony Jones.
10 Ariarne Titmus
(swimming, 24)
She defended her Olympic 400m freestyle title by beating the legend Katie Ledecky. Titmus is one of those swimmers who seems to relish the pressure.
9 Oscar Piastri
(motor racing, 23)
Did everything expected of him in his second F1 season, winning twice for McLaren in Hungary and Azerbaijan to finish fourth in the drivers’ championship. Now for a crack at the title.
8 Gout Gout
(athletics, 17)
Agreed, he’s yet to win anything of significance but the times he’s running for the 100m-200m sprints are unheard by an Australian, and better at the same age as Usain Bolt.
7 Nathan Cleary
(rugby league, 27)
When the greatest halfback in league history is debated, Cleary fans will always be able to point to four successive titles with Penrith as the difference. And his influence is so pivotal.
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6 Jakara Anthony
(moguls skiing, 28)
The girl from Barwon Heads completely dominated her world of moguls, winning 14 of 16 World Cup races, culminating in all three available world titles.
5 James McDonald
(jockey, 32)
Eleven wins over the Flemington spring carnival and over 100 Group 1 victories – stakes his claim as Australia’s finest ever jockey, and that of the best in the world right now. And “J-Mac” has years ahead of him.
4 Travis Head
(cricket, 30)
Gone from a bloke who was dropped last year in India to the most destructive batsman in the game. Plays with the free-flowing nonchalance of Adam Gilchrist, leaving opposition bowlers clueless.
3 Grace Brown
(cycling, 32)
Has any Australian sportsperson retired in such glory? Olympic time trial gold; a fourth national time trial title; the prestigious Liege-Bastogne-Liege in July; followed by the UCI world championship individual time trial.
2 Kaylee McKeown
(swimming, 25)
The female swimmer of the Paris Olympics after defending her gold medals in the 100-200m backstroke. No Australian has won four individual Olympic gold medals.
1 Jessica Fox
(canoeing, 30)
“Don Bradman on water” has been the world’s dominant female paddler for over a decade, yet her Olympic CV was not representative of that standing. It all changed at Paris with two gold medals.
Originally published as Females dominate Australia’s top 50 athletes of 2024
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