Queensland celebrates the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic teams

Australia’s Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Teams will be celebrated in a series of events across Queensland in October. The events will kick off on the Gold Coast on Sunday the 3rd, then on the Sunshine Coast on Thursday the 7th and will conclude with the Premier and Lord Mayor in Brisbane on Friday the 8th.

Over 250 athletes and officials that attended the Tokyo Olympic Games have been invited to these prestigious events happening across the state.

Olympians that hail from Queensland brought home a total of 44-medals across both individual and team events.

AOC CEO Matt Carroll AM thanked the Premier and the Lord Mayor for honouring our remarkable Australian Olympic and Paralympic Teams.

“This Olympic Team was not only one of the most successful to leave Australia but one that inspired the nation through their humility and sportsmanship.”

“Inspirations like 5-time gold medallist Emma McKeon and our amazing swim team.

“The spectacular work of Logan Martin in freestyle BMX, outstanding performance of sailors Mat Belcher and his crew Will Ryan, the nail-biting finish of Jean van der Westhuyzen and Tom Green and that race of mates, Dubler and Moloney.

“Their stories demonstrated the power of sport, showing that sport can bring us all closer together and celebrate what is great about this nation.

“The successes of Tokyo provides the foundation as we line up on the 10 year runway to the Games of the XXXV Olympiad. The once in a generation opportunity for all Australians.

“Next week’s Official Welcome Home gives Queenslanders the opportunity to celebrate this extraordinary Team’s achievement.”

Premier Palaszczuk said Olympic and Paralympic athletes from Queensland will reunite at the COVID-safe event at King George Square so a home crowd can applaud their achievements.

“It will be a great day for Queensland as we honour and congratulate the talented athletes who did us proud in Tokyo,” the Premier said.

“The welcome will be even more exciting, knowing that we have also been chosen to host the Games in 2032.

“For the first time, Olympians and Paralympians will have a joint celebration, and I invite Queenslanders to share the atmosphere on Friday week for a day to remember.”

Brisbane Lord Mayor Schrinner said our Olympians and Paralympians performed remarkably in Tokyo and he was honoured to be awarding them with the Keys to the City.

“I encourage mums and dads, grandparents and carers to bring their children to King George Square and see these sporting heroes awarded with the Keys to the City,” Cr Schrinner said.

“This is a great opportunity for kids to start dreaming of emulating the success of our Olympians and Paralympians on home soil when the Games are held in Brisbane in 2032.”

Queensland resident, flag bearer and dual Tokyo gold medallist Cate Campbell is looking forward to being at the celebrations.

“This was a very different Olympic Games, there was a positivity and a closeness between the everyone in the Olympic Team that really connected us all making Tokyo a very special experience.”

“Now being able to celebrate the success of our Team together with the unbelievable performances and success of the Paralympic Team further extends this connectedness and adds even more to such an incredible Games.”

As a service to our readers, Around the Rings will provide verbatim texts of selected press releases issued by Olympic-related organizations, federations, businesses and sponsors.

These press releases appear as sent to Around the Rings and are not edited for spelling, grammar or punctuation.