Aussie Olympians show off the incredible freebies they get in Paris – including free haircuts at the athletes village salon: ‘We’re spoilt rotten!’
Australian Olympians are now settling into their Paris accommodation, with several stars sharing how many freebies and services they have received.
The contingent of 460 Australian athletes arrived in France today, with some sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the village they will call home for the next three weeks, as well as an insight into the astonishing array of free goods and services they will have access to.
The windows on the lower floors of their accommodation display images of some of Australia’s most iconic landscapes, including Uluru and the Great Barrier Reef. Banners on the upper balconies read: Australia, Merci Paris and Allez Aus.
The Australian operational team has been in Paris for several weeks unpacking nine containers of uniforms and five containers of general supplies.
They have prepared 600 bags of uniforms for athletes and officials and created a relaxation area for members, including a cloud ring, a Woolworths performance kitchen, recovery rooms and a gym.
Australian tennis player Daria Saville shared footage of the on-site beauty salon, where athletes can get their hair cut for free and their nails done for a small fee.
‘Unreal! So grateful! Thank you!’ she posted.
‘Nails is not free, but it is very cheap (depends on where you come from).’
She then showed images of a rack full of expensive Olay beauty products, all of which you can take for free.
Australian tennis star Daria Saville enjoys a free haircut with her Olympic swag in front of her
All Australian Olympians were given a brand new Samsung phone as a gift upon arrival in the village
The sheer amount of merchandise each athlete received is mind-boggling. Water polo player Tilly Kearns gave fans a sneak peek in her Instagram video (pictured)
Tilly Kearns, water polo player for the Australian Stingers, was also impressed.
She shared footage of her arrival at the athletes’ village with her Stingers teammate Gabi Palm and the smorgasbord of freebies waiting in their room, with the caption “spoilt to the max.”
“I don’t even know where to begin,” she said.
She said the athletes received a host of perks, including new shoes, 50,000 Qantas points, luggage and even brand new Samsung smartphones.
Still, not everything was a success: Kearns and Palm could laugh about the tennis dress that came with it.
Not everything is a success, with water polo players Kearns (foreground) and her teammate Gabi Palm (background) making fun of the tennis dress they were given
“I don’t think I’ll wear this,” Palm laughed.
Australian sprinter Mia Gross couldn’t contain her excitement as she unpacked her Australian team merchandise in the village.
“I am literally about to cry. I am an Australian child at the 2024 Olympics,” she said.
The 23-year-old danced, spun and laughed as she unveiled all the Australian-themed clothes she had been given, but one seemingly ordinary item of clothing made her pause.
“That can’t be, it’s a reversible bucket hat!” she gasped.
As a nod to the homeland and heritage, the Australian part of the village is decorated with indigenous designs, which can also be found on the team kits.
The centrepiece of the village is the ‘Yarning Circle’, designed by former Indigenous Australian boxer Brad Hore.
“It creates a safe energy in that circle. We see teams sitting there and coming together in their free time,” said Deputy Chef de Mission and former Indigenous Australian Olympic hurdler Kyle Vander-Kuyp.
Jessica Fox is pictured with her sister Noemie Fox (left in the left photo) who will accompany her to Paris for the Olympic Games.
An external view of Australia’s allocation of the Olympic Village for the 2024 Games
The Australian portion of the athletes’ village features several large images of iconic landmarks from the home country
Australian boxer Brad Hore designed the yarning circle (pictured) in the centre of the team area of the village
It was a big celebration for a number of debuting athletes, such as slalom canoeist Noemie Fox, who will go to the Olympic Games in Paris together with her sister Jessica, who won gold.
“Finally I can wear green and gold, it’s not just thrift stores,” she said.
Jessica also gave a look behind the scenes.
She shared a clip of the huge warehouse where the uniforms are stored.
“One of the best things about being an athlete is of course the Olympic uniform,” she said.
‘I am super excited to try on my daughter. I got to do it together with my sister, who is attending her first matches.
“I think we’re going to look really good.”
The Australian athletes can also enjoy the comforts of home, as plenty of Milo and Weet-Bix are being shipped to Paris.
Organisers have also enlisted three Australian team baristas who will provide the athletes with their daily caffeine needs at an outdoor café.
“There is a lot of interest in the role of barista for the Australian Olympic team,” laughs chef de mission Anna Meares.
In addition, Australians will have access to three nutritionists, two psychologists, four welfare officers, two PCR machines, eight ice baths and one embedded Australian Federal Police officer.
Australian Olympians received branded clothing for all occasions in their welcome packs
The Australian sailing team was also treated to lavish gifts upon arrival in Marseille
The opening ceremony for Paris 2024 begins on Saturday, July 27 at 3:30am, but the competition actually starts a few days earlier.
The action kicks off on Wednesday, July 24 at 11pm with a pair of men’s football matches, while the men’s rugby sevens kick off half an hour later.
Before the opening ceremony, several competitions will take place, including archery and handball.
Once the opening ceremony is over, the official ‘Day 1’ begins on Saturday afternoon.
On the same day, medals will be awarded in the following events: cycling, diving, fencing, judo, rugby sevens, shooting, skateboarding and swimming.