Five-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Anna Meares OAM has been appointed Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
Meares, a member of the Team Executive at the recent Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, is considered Australia’s most successful track cyclist and has a storied career as an athlete.
During her illustrious career, Meares captured eight Commonwealth Games medals, 11 world titles and two Olympic gold medals, was the Australian team captain and flagbearer at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and finished her career on a high as flagbearer of the Australian Olympic team in Rio in 2016.
For Anna, it’s an incredible privilege and honour to serve athletes in the role of Chef de Mission, working with sports and the Australian Olympic Commission (AOC) to make their job as stress free as possible.
“The athletes are the very heart of everything that is the Olympic Games,” Meares said.
“Every athlete comes with a story, an ambition and a feeling of great pride in representing their country. My job is to ensure we provide the right environment for all of them as they strive for Olympic success, enjoy their experience as an Olympian, and allow all in Australia to learn about their story and connect through sport.”
“My priority now is to build strong relationships with our sports leaders and our athlete leaders. There’s already been a lot of work done in that area through the AOC. I look forward to spending time catching up with athletes and getting their thoughts first-hand.”
“Every Olympic Games produces its challenges but there’s a very experienced team behind the Team and our job is to create a positive environment so our athletes can excel.”
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Craig Phillips AM, Commonwealth Games Australia CEO, acknowledged Anna’s contribution to the recent team at Birmingham 2022 and extended his sincerest congratulations on her appointment.
“Commonwealth Games Australia extends its congratulations to Anna Meares OAM on her recent appointment as Chef de Mission for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games,” Phillips said.
“Anna was a member of the Team Executive at the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and her leadership and guidance were instrumental in ensuring the team’s success. Her enthusiastic and energetic approach to the role saw her support the team and alongside her extensive experience as an athlete, allowed Anna to bring a unique perspective to her role.”
“Anna will be able to utilise her recent experiences at the upcoming Games, and we wish Anna and the Australian Team all the best for Paris 2024.”
Anna’s international debut came at the 2002 Commonwealth Games in Manchester where she won bronze in the 500m time trial behind older sister Kerrie who won gold.
Four years later in Melbourne, Anna won the gold medal in the event, and in Delhi in 2010 she won three gold medals – in the 500m time trial, the sprint and team sprint events.
At the 2015 UCI Track Cycling World Championships, Meares took the gold in the keirin, her 11th world title in total, which made her the most decorated female track cyclist of all time.
She won gold in the 500m time trial at the 2004 Olympics in Athens, and in the sprint in 2012 in London, and was selected as flagbearer and captain for the Australian team at the 2016 Summer Olympics, where she won a bronze medal in keirin.
In doing so she became the first Australian to win individual medals in four consecutive Olympics.
The Paris 2024 Olympic Games will run from July 26th (Opening Ceremony) to August 11th (Closing Ceremony).
