“A diverse group of Australians from all sorts of backgrounds, come together … with 197 other countries. There are very few global opportunities like this.”

“And this really all began in Tokyo four years ago, where you could see the writing on the wall so I believe this group are representing a team that is in a period the whole country is going to be very excited right now and going forward.”

Australian runner Jessica Hull won the silver medal in the Women’s 1500m final at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games. Source: AAP / Dean Lewins

At the Paris Olympics in 2024, Australia’s athletics team won seven medals, the most at an Olympic Games since 1956, and the year before won six at the World Championships, also a record high.

However, two major medal hopes have become late scratchings — Olympic pole vault champion Nina Kennedy and racewalker Jemima Montag, who won bronze in the 20km in Paris, have pulled out of the championships through injury, threatening Australia’s overall medal tally hopes.

Pressure on young stars

Speaking about the Australian teenager while in Tokyo for the competition, Bolt said even though Gout is talented, it’s never going to be “just easy” for him to win.

McAvaney said Gout is “so interesting” given he’s about to start his year 12 studies while dealing with global fame and pressure to perform.

Bruce McAvaney hugs Gout Gout as he celebrates winning his Under 20s 200m final at the Queensland Athletics Championships in Brisbane in March. It was the first time Gout had run below 20 seconds for the 200m. Source: AAP / Jono Searle

“There’s a lot of expectation on him and noone really knows how he’s going to perform.

“She’s the Diamond League champion and the world indoor champ, at the moment I think it’s a 50-50 bet between her and [Ukrainian Olympic champion Yaroslava] Mahuchikh, she’ll be on the podium and she’s a great competitor,” McAvaney said.

The ‘one lap’ that inspired the whole world

“That’s how pure and rich that whole performance was from the lighting of the cauldron to winning that gold medal. She carried the nation on her back. The pressure was unbelievable. It would have diminished so many people but she actually took it on and soared.”

Cathy Freeman’s gold medal-winning 400m run at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Credit: Dean Lewins

McAvaney said the “one lap run of hers” laid down a benchmark for others to follow.