Article by Clareese Packer, courtesy of Yahoo Sports.
With just two days left before the 2024 Paris Olympics closing ceremony, one state is well in the lead for the most gold medals in the country.
Queensland has earned the most gold medals as of Saturday morning, with a glittering total of 11.
The impressive tally is more than double the count of the next state, Western Australia, who have brought home six gold medals to date.
Among Queensland’s decorated athletes is the country’s youngest Olympian, 14-year-old Arisa Trew, who topped the podium in the women’s skateboard park earlier this week.
Keegan Palmer also won gold in the men’s skateboard park, while Queenslanders showed their roots by cleaning up in several swimming events.
Western Australia has clocked six gold medals, including Nina Kennedy’s soaring win in the women’s pole vault, while NSW has come in third with five golds so far.
The NSW tally includes phenomenal wins by sisters Jessica and Noemie Fox, who continued in their parents’ footsteps in canoe and kayak events.
Victoria counts Grace Brown’s win in the women’s road cycling, John Peers’ success in the men’s doubles in tennis, and Kelland O’Brien win in the men’s track cycling team pursuit as its only gold medals so far.
Meanwhile Tasmania’s Ariarne Titmus has single-handedly propped up the state’s gold medal count by securing wins in the women’s 400m freestyle and women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay.
South Australia has come last in the country’s medal count with only one gold medal so far. The state’s medal was earned by Oliver Bleddyn in the men’s track team cycling pursuit.
GOLD MEDALS BY STATE
Queensland
– Cameron McEvoy: Men’s 50m freestyle
– Mollie O’Callaghan: Women’s 200m freestyle, women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay, and women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
– Kaylee McKeown: Women’s 100m backstroke and women’s 200m backstroke
– Keegan Palmer: Men’s park skateboarding
– Arisa Trew: Women’s park skateboarding
– Meg Harris: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
– Shayna Jack: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
– Saya Sakakibara: BMX women’s individual
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 11
Western Australia
– Nina Kennedy: Women’s pole vault
– Matthew Wearn: Men’s dinghy sailing
– Matthew Ebden: Men’s doubles tennis (with John Peers)
– Brianna Throssell: Women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay
– Sam Welsford: Men’s track cycling team pursuit
– Conor Leahy: Men’s track cycling team pursuit
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 6
New South Wales
– Jessica Fox: Women’s kayak single and women’s canoe single
– Noemie Fox: Women’s kayak cross
– Lani Pallister: Women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay
– Emma McKeon: Women’s 4x100m freestyle relay
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 5
Victoria
– Grace Brown: Women’s individual road cycling
– John Peers: Men’s doubles tennis (with Matthew Ebden)
– Kelland O’Brien: Men’s track cycling team pursuit
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 3
Tasmania
– Ariarne Titmus: Women’s 400m freestyle and women’s 4 x 200m freestyle relay
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 2
South Australia
– Oliver Bleddyn: Men’s track cycling team pursuit
GOLD MEDAL COUNT: 1
The Olympics closing ceremony is set to kick off early Monday morning at 4am AEST.
The event’s executive director Thierry Reboul confirmed in an interview with Variety that French bands Phoenix and Air will perform at the event.
Given the next Olympics will be hosted in Los Angeles, the LA organising committee has been allocated between 10 and 15 minutes to give audiences a sneak peak at what the next Olympics will look like.
People have been speculating on whether big names like Beyonce or Taylor Swift could be tipped to star in the teaser after Lady Gaga and Celine Dion opened up the Games, however organisers have remained tight lipped.
