4 a podium view As we commence the new Summer Olympic and Paralympic cycle towards Tokyo 2020, I would like to acknowledge the effort and commitment of the sector over the past four years. No athlete does it alone and, in celebrating the triumphs of our athletes, we also recognise the contribution of coaches, support staff, administrators, family members and friends on those sporting journeys. There were many great moments and remarkable performances during the Rio cycle, culminating in the 2016 Olympic and Paralympic Games. Who can forget the challenge faced by Kim Brennan in the heats of the single scull, where she almost came out of the boat, only to go on and ultimately triumph in the final by more than a boat length. Chloe Esposito ripped through the field in the final stages of the Modern Pentathlon, to claim gold, while sailor Tom Burton’s comeback victory was equally impressive. Catherine Skinner maintained her composure to win gold in the trap shooting, while the women’s 4x100m swimming team defended their Olympic title. The Aussie Women’s Rugby Seven’s Team also made history, winning the sport’s inaugural Olympic gold medal. The Australian Paralympic Team truly delivered against expectations in Rio, maintaining a top- five position for the sixth consecutive Games - since Atlanta 1996. Australians were inspired by the journey of Curtis McGrath, who overcame life-changing injuries he’s suffered during service in Afghanistan to win gold in the Canoe KL2 event. Dylan Alcott claimed two gold medals in 24 hours, winning both the singles and doubles Wheelchair Tennis events. The Aussie Steelers wheelchair rugby team delivered back–to-back Paralympic gold medals. These are but a few of the stories from the last four years to celebrate. Australia’s final medal tally at the Rio Olympics did not match international forecasts, but there were some promising signs for the future. The Australian team: > > Increased the number of sports that won medals from the previous Games > > Increased the number of athletes who finished 4th to 8th place > > Arrested a slide in gold medals, matching the eight golds achieved in London 2012. Olympic results since 2000 0 2000 2004 GOLD SILVER BRONZE 4TH–8TH 2008 2012 2016 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 17 17 65 76 66 62 71 17 12 10 25 16 15 15 11 16 17 14 8 8 Number of sports with medals 0 2000 2004 2008 2012 2016 4 8 12 16 20 20 14 14 11 12 Preparations are now well underway for the PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games, and we cannot wait for 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in our own back yard.