Olympians touch down in Sydney
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Welcome: Swimmer Stephanie Rice waves as she arrives with flag bearer James Tomkins (centre) (AAP)
Australia's Olympic team has arrived home in Sydney aboard two chartered Qantas Boeing 747 jets.
Triple gold medalist Stephanie Rice led the team off the first plane and shook hands with Prime Minister Kevin Rudd before walking down the stairs in the hangar at Sydney international airport.
Rice was followed out of the jet by six-time Olympic rower James Tomkins, who later hinted that he had reconsidered his decision to retire after Beijing.
The team returned to Australia weighed down by 46 medals - 14 gold, 15 silver and 17 bronze.
In his official welcome home speech, Mr Rudd said Australia's Olympic organisation was already looking forward to the London Games in 2012.
"Welcome home to Australia," he told the athletes.
"Every Australian is proud of you. Every man, woman and child in this nation is proud of each and every one of you.
"On behalf of the Australian nation, well done.
"The preparation for London 2012 begins today and we, the Government and people of Australia, will be behind you every step of the way."
The 42-year-old Tomkins then took the stage on behalf of the team and dropped a heavy hint that he had reconsidered his decision to retire, referring to "those of us" who were preparing to "spoil the party" for Great Britain at the London Games.
"When you get off the plane and you get a welcome like this it's addictive and it's hard to give it up," he said.
"I would love to be there [in London] but it may well become untenable - who knows?
"The support that we got from Australia was incredible. The messages of support to all the athletes were unbelievable," he added.
"We are absolutely pumped to be back here in Australia."
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Comments (24)
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Eric:
26 Aug 2008 7:36:45am
Congratulations. Welcome home.
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Evad:
26 Aug 2008 7:42:08am
Sincere congratulations to you all. Glad to see you home safe and sound.
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James :
26 Aug 2008 7:44:54am
My sincere congratulations to all of the Olympians and those aspiring athletes who didn't quite get there this time as well as their support networks. My question is why the Olympic flame was extinguished in Beijing when the Paralympics starts there on 1 September. Could it be for a similar reason to our media's minimalist coverage of these other valiant athletes?
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Brent:
26 Aug 2008 9:20:36am
There was a big debate about this when the Olympic rings were dismantled from the Sydney Harbour Bridge in 2000. the reason for it is that the Paralympics are separate to the Olympics and they have their own traditions. The torch belongs to Olympics which is why it was extinguished.
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Eddie:
26 Aug 2008 7:49:57am
Wonderful stuff!
Bet they're looking forward to relaxing out of the "lights".Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Carrie:
26 Aug 2008 9:57:09am
haha, poor things, im watching their "welcome home" on TV and they all look so bored and over it!
they are probably thinking "shut up and let us go home!"Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Petey:
26 Aug 2008 7:59:00am
Weehaw, now's my chance to proprose to Steph!
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Chris:
26 Aug 2008 8:00:09am
I do congratulate our olympian.
However at the same time might I say what a waste of money all this is at time we have 2 full 747 of people and all they can bring back is 46 medals. People keep using the per captor sum to say how well we did. Can we please get a calculation based on the amount of athletes sent. If we have some much money to pump into these sports why don't we put more money into research which is very much under funded.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Tan:
26 Aug 2008 8:17:09am
I am with you Chris. This is a great achievement but I would like to see more money in to research. All areas should be valued, whether it is sport, the arts, humanities, science or engineering. Australia has a lot of great researchers but they often don't get enough funding or the recognition they deserve.
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Will:
26 Aug 2008 8:47:44am
Gees...... give it a rest Chris and Tan.
It's almost worth the Olympics being over to no longer have to hear the bleating of the 'too expensive' crowd.
A calculation based on the amount of athletes sent??? Just get over it and allow the people who like what goes down every four years, which is the majority, to not be bombarded with boorish negativity.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Tan:
26 Aug 2008 9:01:56am
I think you missed my point Will. I am not being negative at all. I am saying that we should invest money in to all areas including sport. I also think we have a lot of great people and we should show case them all.
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peter:
26 Aug 2008 8:40:20am
I personally think that the modern chase by the big countries to judge their success in the olymics by the number of medals they bring home defeats the whole point of the olympics. What about the girl who ran in the track event (I forget which) that looked after her siblings at home, and the township she came from had to save up to buy a tv to watch her. that's what the olympics should be about, the spirit of competing with fellow athletes.
In my opinion, winning gold is great, but there is too much attention and judgement placed on the quantity of medals brought home, rather than simply on the spirit of the competition.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Larry:
26 Aug 2008 8:49:48am
Actually, money invested in the Olympic program does involve a great deal of physiological research to help our athletes perform better. When it comes to providing money for research, who decides what research to spend it on? The endaged spotted toe gnat? Alternative energy supplies? Sea levels rising 4 m by next Sunday? The reality is, consensus is always hard to come by.
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Leah:
26 Aug 2008 9:20:19am
I don't think this is the place to be complaining about something like that. Besides, "all they can bring back is 46 medals"? I don't see you competing in the Olympics, so you can't very well criticise those who did compete but unfortunately missed out on a medal. How insulting.
It's not their fault research is underfunded.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Skewer:
26 Aug 2008 9:30:54am
Those bleating about funding need to actually look at the figures.
In the period 2005-2008, the total AOC funding for Olympic programs was around $42 million, or an average of $10.5 million per year. That is absolutely sweet FA in national terms.
By comparison in 2007-08 (that's ONE year) - CSIRO received $2.8 BILLION in Government funding.
That's 200 times more cash that the AOC got!
The money to CSIRO is money well spent. But to suggest that funding Olympics is taking away from science - rubbish.
Do the maths.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Jim:
26 Aug 2008 8:46:07am
Well done to all our participating competitors! Regardless of results.
However I do agree with Chris to some degree. I believe we are spending enough on sport, let us direct more funding into developing our nation in other directions for the future .
Science, invention, trade skills and medicine immediately come to mind.
I would like to see gold medals etc awarded for brilliance in core tertiary studies such as medicine, science and essential trade skill development. This to be a national level programme and well publicised so as to encourage personal and national development at home.Agree (1) Alert moderator
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Delta:
26 Aug 2008 9:24:00am
Look forward to what Boris can produce in 2012.
Our Athletes did well, many records were broken by even silver medalists. Its not about the color of the medal its about the true spirit of sportsmanship. Win or lose all our representatives did their best on the day.
Too much emphasis is placed on the "sideshow alley" events which takes place at the beginning and end and only represents a mere 4 hours of the total Olympics games.
The money invested is priceless when it comes to International understanding and Friendship in this sorrowful and miserable world of conflict.
This is about the Olympics and has nothing to do with rising tides, spotted toe gnats and other facets of humanity's search for perfection and cures.
Finally let's hope whoever gets the broadcasting rights in 2012, does a better job in presenting the event. We eventually turned to direct Satellite viewing from CCTV/Alkass more than 5 channels of different events broadcast in full without adverts.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Jim:
26 Aug 2008 9:01:39am
Thank heavens the olympics are finally over. What a great boon for those who control our destinies, it takes our minds off what a mess the world is really in. I thoroughly object to referring to athletes as heroes, there are many people who deserve this title but not our pampered and so called elite who cost us so much and contribute nothing. Really, who cares who wins.
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Leah:
26 Aug 2008 9:24:29am
Your comment reeks of bitterness.
Our athletes are heroes of the pool and of the track. They are not heroes of medicine or research. We do not put our athletes so high that they are the most important 'heroes' of our country. Australia's "Most Trusted" person has been a doctor for the last few years.
They thoroughly deserve to be called heroes, because they are heroes of their arena. Nobody is saying that they are more important than other heroes, or that nobody else deserves the title of 'hero'.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Ron:
26 Aug 2008 10:16:12am
No - heroes are people who achieve benefits for society. Olympic athletes have achieved great benefits for themselves and those silly enough to believe that elite sports have some benefits forsociety in general.
They may be admired for achieving an amazingly high standard in mostly pointless exercise....and looking great....but what does that do for people who are poor and disadvantaged.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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Roberto:
26 Aug 2008 10:16:54am
Give me a break. I agree with Jim. When you call some self-serving egoist who only wants "the gold" a 'hero', you really diminish the meaning of the word. They are NOT heroes. They are just people who train their bodies in some sport to win fame and recognition, and hopefully a big money sponsorship deal. Save a life, you're a hero; dedicate your life to the betterment of other, or the world, you're a hero.
But go to China, help a totalitarian government try to look good in front of the world, and OBEY the AOC who muzzle your right to speak freely. That's money talking, not heroism.Agree (0) Alert moderator
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fred:
26 Aug 2008 9:09:36am
Congratulations,welcome back ,now we can get back to the real issues in the world like the killing of the innocent in Tibet ,remember wear those medals with pride
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Tin Myint:
26 Aug 2008 9:30:16am
Well done, Welcome home.
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Beau Locks:
26 Aug 2008 10:03:45am
Well done all...but...I wonder how many days of school some of the younger Olympians missed while they trained to make us all so proud. I trust none of their parents were income managed along the way.
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