Patty Mills, Peter Bol and Ariarne Titmus are just some of the names that have shot to stardom over the course of the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. 

With a nation marvelling at their talent and dedication, it has underlined the power of sport and the multiculturalism Australia is proudly known for. 

There were numerous powerful moments for our First Nations communities. 

The first of those moments came as the first Indigenous Australian flagbearer, Muralag and Ynunga man, Patty Mills, lead the Australian team during the Opening Ceremony alongside renowned swimmer, Cate Campbell. 

It provided the First Nations community with a sense of pride, belonging and laid important foundations for First Nations representation on a global stage.  

Sudanese-Australian track runner, Peter Bol, is another fantastic example of sporting excellence. Fleeing war-torn Sudan with his family at a young age, Bol’s athletic abilities were only realised midway through high school.  At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, he became Australia’s first man to reach an 800-metre final since 1968. Finishing in fourth position, it was a monumental achievement not only for Bol and his friends and family watching from a living room in Perth, but for every Australian. 

With the announcement of netball to be included in the Brisbane Olympics in 2032, it gives even more young people – particularly women – the opportunity to dream and flourish in the sport they love.

Our Olympic heroes are role models for all Australians - for First Nations peoples, for African Australians, young women and more, it’s empowering to see the possibilities ahead.

Time and time again, we’ve seen how sport provides a foundation of inspiration and empowerment.

The power of sport enables us to unite across common ground, and the Olympics has shown it in action: modern Australia celebrating its diverse groups of cultures, race, religion and ethnicity to reach unthinkable heights.