How Australia can beat its Olympics record in Tokyo

We are entering the pointy end of the Olympics in Japan after an incredible opening week for Australia. Here’s how we can beat our medal record.

We are entering the pointy end of the Olympics in Japan after an incredible opening week for Australia.

It was a week in which Australia secured nine swimming gold medals — our most successful performance ever at an Olympics, surpassing the eight gold medals won by our swimmers at the 1956 Melbourne Games.

In total, we’ve collected 14 golds — including two in rowing, one in the canoe slalom, one in BMX freestyle and one in sailing.

However, this week will see gold medals much harder to come by for our athletes as they chase Australia’s best ever medal tally at an Olympic games.

Peter Bol is looking to win gold for Team Australia in the men’s 800m. Picture: Matthias Hangst/Getty Images

That record is an impressive total of 17 gold medals that we picked up in Athens in 2004. The tally that year was even more impressive than the 16 golds we picked up in Sydney in 2000, and it meant Australia finished fourth behind Russia, China and the USA respectively.

Now, it means that to beat the record we need to win four more gold medals in Japan.

That may not sound like a lot considering we still have almost a week to go and we scooped up 14 last week.

However, Australia has traditionally won a lot of its medals in the pool and, now that part of the games is over, we need to start looking elsewhere.

It’s still possible for us to break the record, but we will need some big performances in the coming days.

Here’s who you should look out for.

Hockey

Our men’s team, the Kookaburras, are strong gold medal hopes after they defeated the Netherlands in a thrilling penalty shootout in the quarterfinals.

After finishing at 2-2 in regulation time, Australian goalkeeper Andrew Charter went into boss mode in the penalty shootout, seeing the Kookaburras win 3-0.

The Kookaburras are looking sharp. Picture: Naomi Baker/Getty Images)

They will now face Germany in the semi-finals, giving them a chance to win their second ever Olympic gold and first in 17 years.

They were perched as $2.75 market favourites and should they go all the way to the gold medal match, the nation would be able to tune in for it on Thursday August 5 at approximately 8pm.

Women’s water polo

Our women’s team are looking really good after smashing South Africa 14-1 on Sunday night — which means they will face the Russians on Tuesday night at 8.50pm for the quarterfinal.

The Russians also look good after knocking out the host nation, but if Australia can beat them then they’ll be in the semi-finals on Thursday.

The big favourites are the USA but, based on Sunday’s performance, Australia could give them a run for their money.

The final is on Saturday at 5.30pm.

Rowie Webster of Team Australia. Picture: Al Bello/Getty Images

What about the athletics?

Gold medals may prove tough to come by in the track and field this year, but we’ve got a handful of athletes who could pull something special off.

Medal hopeful Stewart McSweyn will launch his Tokyo campaign on Tuesday morning.

The Tasmanian middle distance star — considered one of Australia’s best medal chances on the track in Tokyo — will contest the 1500m in one of the hottest fields of the Games.

Ranked No. 4 in the world in his event, McSweyn’s medal hopes received a boost when former Olympic 1500m champion Taoufik Makhloufi withdrew through injury.

The final for that event is on Friday at 10.50pm.

Olympic middle distance runner Stewart McSweyn. Picture: Michael Klein

We also have a good shout in the women’s javelin too.

Reigning world champion Kelsey-Lee Barber won gold in Doha in 2019, while Kathryn Mitchell is hitting some form.

They’ll both be in action from 11.50am on Tuesday. The final will be on Saturday at 9pm.

We also have the exciting prospect of doing well in the prestigious 800m final — after Peter Bol smashed through his semi-final on Sunday night.

His blistering run, which broke his own Australian record from the heats a day prior sealed his place in the Games final, becoming the first Australian man to do so since all the way back in 1968.

You can watch the event on Wednesday at 10.05pm.

Women’s soccer

It has been a rollercoaster ride of a games for the Matildas, who stunned the world with an incredible 4-3 win against Great Britain on Saturday despite questions about their form.

Next up they face Sweden in the semi-final on Monday night

If they make it through that, they will face either the USA or Canada in a gold medal match on Friday at 12pm.

Australia's forward Sam Kerr. Picture: Shinji Akagi / AFP

Australia’s final medal tally at recent Summer Olympics

Sydney 2000: 630 athletes. 16 golds, 25 silvers, 17 bronzes. 58 overall medals. Fourth on medals table.

Athens 2004: 482 athletes. 17 golds, 16 silvers, 17 bronzes. 50 overall medals. Fourth on medals table.

Beijing 2008: 433 athletes. 14 golds, 15 silvers, 17 bronzes. 46 overall medals. Sixth on medals table

London 2012: 410 athletes. Eight golds, 15 silvers, 12 bronzes. 35 overall medals. Eighth on medals table

Rio 2016: 422 athletes. Eight golds, 11 silvers, 10 bronzes. 29 overall medals. 10th on medals table