Australian Olympians demand respect in Rio as fresh team culture sets a platform for success
A NEW era for the Australian Olympic team officially begins in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, where its quest for gold medals is matched only by its search for respect.
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A NEW era for the Australian Olympic team officially begins in Rio de Janeiro on Saturday, where its quest for gold medals is matched only by its search for respect.
This is the new generation of Olympians who draw their inspiration from past sporting heroes — they are talented, clean and, most importantly, they want to win gold for their country.
Chef de mission Kitty Chiller wants the team to be the most respected in the world by driving a culture of leadership behind their flag-bearer, cycling legend Anna Meares, who will inspire her fellow athletes far beyond Saturday morning’s opening ceremony.
As competition begins, the Rio Games will usher in the next wave of champions, including star swimmers Cameron McEvoy, Cate and Bronte Campbell, Mitch Larkin and Emily Seebohm, BMX world champion Caroline Buchanan and kayak world champ Jessica Fox.
They could win 15 gold medals between them — twice as many as the entire team achieved in London four years ago.
Fox is one of Australia’s brightest gold medal hopes in the K-1 canoe slalom in which she won silver in the British capital.
“I’ve had great results the last four years and proved that I could go to the Olympics, but you really have to do it when it matters,” Fox said.
“Everybody else has that expectation (of winning gold in Rio) but it’s important to just focus on me and doing what I know best.”
As well as medals, Chiller’s mantra for Australian athletes at the Games includes “respect, humility, sportsmanship, excellence and integrity”.
“The approach we’ve taken to the Australian Olympic team this year is to have one team, a united team, a supportive team and a respectful team,” Chiller said.
“And leaders within each individual sports to be champions of what we’re really trying to do with this team (which) is to be the most respected team in the world.”
Racewalker Jared Tallent represents the clean new era for athletics as he defends his 50km gold medal that was only awarded to him in June after the Russian winner was stripped for doping.
Tallent is stepping up as captain of the Australian athletics team in the absence of the injured Sally Pearson.
“The athletics team has seen a generational change since the last Olympics. I think the team is packed with debutants who could surprise,” Tallent said.
“Combine these fresh faces with the well established and experienced athletes and I believe we are in for a great team performance.”
At 32 and in her fourth Olympics, Meares is well above the Australian cycling team’s average age of 23 but said her teammates had helped keep her young in mind and body.
“I really love working with them, they’re very motivated, positive and driven which can help draw out the little bit more for myself on tough, cold training days,” Meares said.
“For the team that’s been around me that’s certainly helped me stick around for as long as I have.”
The dramas which plagued the team, particularly the swimmers, in London four years ago are now a distant memory but the athletes have the chance to almost erase them completely when the hit the water in Rio.
“We have moved from a rules based regime to a values based regime,” said Cate Campbell who enters Rio as the 100m freestyle world record holder.
“It is a great team to be a part of, I am so incredibly proud to call myself an Australian Dolphin and I think everyone on the team is extremely proud.”
For the Australian team there is no time to waste, with some of our main medal hopes starting their campaigns tonight.
In the pool, the 4x100m women’s relay team, led by the Campbells, is expected to take gold and our popular teams, the Opals, the Boomers, the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras all begin their Olympic campaigns.
Originally published as Australian Olympians demand respect in Rio as fresh team culture sets a platform for success
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