Sister act predict Aussie gold at Paris Olympics
They do everything together and are now taking on the top of their sport on a global stage. Sisters Maddie and Teagan Levi speak to The Daily Telegraph 30 days out from representing Australia at the Paris Olympics.
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Sister act Maddie and Teagan Levi say they will balance each other out at the Paris Olympics.
There is a 16 month age gap between the pair who will represent Australia as part of the Women’s Rugby Sevens team from July 26.
Maddie competed at the Tokyo games while Teagan is a first time Olympian.
“Maddie always gets nervous, I will help her with her nerves and I guess when I get a bit nervous, she is there to calm me down and reassure me that everything will be okay and everything happens for a reason,” Teagan, 20, said.
“We are both striving for the best.”
The pair marked 30 days out from the Paris Olympics by attending ASICS Lace Up Initiative at Centennial Park, encouraging Aussies to be more active in the lead-up to the Olympics.
“I put a lot of pressure on myself, whereas Teagan is a bit of a realist so she is there to pull me back and say, ‘look at all of these amazing things’,” Maddie, 22, said.
“Having that sense of striving to be better but also acknowledging what you are doing amazing is kind of what you need and Teagan is that sense of reality for me.”
The women’s team won the first ever Sevens gold at the 2016 Games in Rio.
They won gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2022 in England and Silver at the 2018 event on the Gold Coast.
Both sisters are confident of medalling as they head into the Olympics.
“Coming into it, we are not seeded number one so that is less pressure for us,” Maddie explained.
“We just came off the back of a world series win so we are looking confident, feeling fit and I think we are training sharp and we have all got the hunger to win a gold medal and take it home.”
Rachael Gunn, a teacher and researcher, meanwhile will represent Australia in the new Olympic sport of breakdancing.
“I am so excited to represent Australia on the world stage and for everyone to see breaking at the Olympics,” she said.
“I know a lot of people don’t know what to expect but I think they are going to be really surprised when they watch it because it is a combination of gymnastics, the effortless of skateboarding, the performativity of tap (dance), it is totally its own thing.
“It is going to be so amazing.”
Gunn explained breakers will compete against each other in battle rounds where judges “compare you against your opponent”.
“They are looking at your execution, your technique, musicality, and originality,” she said.
“So who out of the two dancers does better out of those categories. There are no set moves they are looking for and you are going to see something different every time.”
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Originally published as Sister act predict Aussie gold at Paris Olympics
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