- Athletes win record number of medals at Paris Games
- The flight home was going to be a party and a complete celebration
- However, they had booked a dry flight and the mood was much calmer
They won the most Olympic medals in Australian history, but our athletes didn’t even get to enjoy a glass of champagne to celebrate after being sent home on a dry flight from Paris to Perth.
The Australian team made history at the 2024 Paris Olympics, where they set a new national record with 18 gold medals and a total of 53 medals.
They also achieved their most successful day ever, with four gold and two bronze medals.
The 460-member Olympic team arrived back in Sydney on Wednesday morning, where they were welcomed by a large crowd of enthusiastic fans and an official ceremony held in their honour.
But there were no shoes, no champagne parties and not even a light beer for the athletes after their tremendous performances in Paris.
Speaking to Jase and Lauren from Nova 100, two-time gold medalist Ariarne Titmus said the flight home came from a celebratory environment.
“No, it wasn’t! Because it was, well, it was dry,” she revealed.
“And then everybody was so tired, I’m not kidding. Some people hadn’t even eaten and were exhausted when we left and slept the whole way. Most people slept for 12 hours.
‘When we got on the plane, there was orange juice and apple juice waiting for us.’
Ariarne Titmus revealed the Aussies were sent home from Paris on a dry flight to Perth
The tired Australians slept mostly on their Qantas flight back home after the Olympic Games in Paris
The radio presenters were quite shocked by this and asked if the athletes had been able to have a glass of champagne on arrival in Perth.
You won’t believe what happened next.
“This was the best part,” Titmus said.
‘We got to Perth and they said, we’ve closed off the whole lounge for you. You can relax there for four hours during your layover. And when we got there, it was amazing.
‘Like, we arrived and got a bunch of chocolates, like, the whole place was redecorated. Welcome home.
“We’re like, oh, let’s go get some champagne or something. And we’re going to the bars that are closing and they’re making hot chocolate.”
Thirsty Australians couldn’t even get a drink from the bar at Perth airport because it was closed
Titmus also shared her thoughts on Australian breakdancer Rachael ‘Raygun’ Gunn, who was ridiculed worldwide after her viral performance at the Paris Olympics.
Athletes celebrated her in the Olympic Village before the closing ceremony and Titmus defended the breakthrough, saying no athlete wants to underperform.
“You have to put yourself in her shoes a little,” said Titmus.
“We’re all sure she went there and did her best. She doesn’t go to the Olympics and not do her best.
‘If something like that happened to me and I got so much criticism, you would be so upset and sad.
“She’s one of us, she’s a teammate, she’s on the Australian Olympic team, so we all got along really well.”