Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) President Ian Chesterman has paid tribute to Anna Meares for her outstanding work in leading the Australian Team in Paris.
Chesterman, himself a seven-time Chef de mission of Australian Olympic Teams, said that the work of Meares and her leadership team was simply outstanding.
“Anna has shown great leadership throughout the entire Paris 2024 campaign since being appointed to the role in late 2022.
“She has nurtured the confidence of the national sports organisations and the athletes. Anna has a deep understanding of the needs of the athletes under the pressure of the Games.
“She has led with great authenticity, energy and an absolute commitment to making sure that everything that was in her remit for the sports and the athletes was done.
“The sports and the athletes do all the hard work to prepare for the Games and it’s vital then that AOC compliments and enhances that focus on high-performance.
“Anna has been brilliantly supported by five deputy Chefs de Mission in Mark Knowles, Bronwen Knox, Kaarle McCulloch, Ken Wallace and Kyle Vander Kuyp.
“The atmosphere, the energy, the camaraderie that the leadership team has nurtured in the village has been absolutely first class. I hear so much feedback about how the athletes appreciated what’s been provided for them in the village and the camaraderie that exist in the team itself.
“To finish the Games with 53 medals, and with 93 athletes each having a medal is a fantastic outcome.
“But what means so much to all at the AOC, and which Anna and her team has delivered for us, is for each of the 467 Australian Olympic Team members to be proud of their part of this special moment in our Olympic history.
“The AOC expresses its deep gratitude to all the national sports organisations, our member sports, for all the work and dedication they put into creating the opportunities for these athletes at this Games.
“We look forward to working with them as we take on LA 2028 and prepare for our home Games in Brisbane in 2032,” Mr Chesterman concluded.