Victorians will have a chance to pay tribute to Australia’s Olympic heroes at a parade in Melbourne.
The Andrews Labor Government is partnering with the Australian Olympic Committee to stage the public event in the Bourke Street Mall next Wednesday. A similar event for our Paralympic heroes is also planned.
Australia won a total of 29 medals at the Rio Olympics, including eight gold, and we were at the fore once more. Olympic heroes Mack Horton, Catherine Skinner and Kim Brennan are all Victorian, and many more did us proud on sport’s greatest stage.
Fans will enjoy Brazilian-themed entertainment and will be able to get the autographs of their heroes as they pass through the Bourke Street Mall before official proceedings on the specially designed stage.
Australian singer-songwriter Anthony Callea will perform the national anthem, before interviews with athletes and chef de mission, Kitty Chiller.
It will be the second time Melbourne has staged an Olympic event in as many months, after Ballarat’s own Jared Tallent was awarded a retrospective gold medal on the steps of the Old Treasury Building. Tallent was denied victory by a convicted doper at the London Games in 2012.
Australia finished tenth on the Rio Olympic Games medal tally.
A public reception to honour our Paralympic Games athletes is planned for October. Wednesday’s event begins at 11.30am before official proceedings on stage at 12.40pm.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport John Eren
“Our athletes have done us proud in Rio. We can’t wait to welcome them home and congratulate them on their achievements.”
“This is a great chance for Victorians to get together and celebrate the stars who wore green and gold on the world stage.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020