Opals win bronze in emotional send-off for talisman Jackson

Hans van LeeuwenEurope correspondent

Updated Aug 11, 2024 – 11.10pm, first published at 9.17pm

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Paris | The women’s basketball team, the Opals, have shaken off a 12-year medal drought to take bronze against Belgium – ensuring Team Australia’s overall medal tally is the best since the Sydney 2000 Games.

It was a fitting farewell for the living legend of Australian women’s basketball, 43-year-old Lauren Jackson, who didn’t come onto the court during this match but has now won an Olympic medal in all five tournaments in which she has played.

Hans van Leeuwen covers British and European politics, economics and business from London. He has worked as a reporter, editor and policy adviser in Sydney, Canberra, Hanoi and London.