Ariarne Titmus of Team Australia adjusts her goggles during a Swimming training session. GETTY IMAGES

The Oceania team's record for winning gold medals in a single day of competition is four, achieved at Tokyo 2020. On the first day following the Opening Ceremony at the 2024 Paris Olympics, they have multiple opportunities to match or even surpass this record, particularly in swimming.

Competition at the Olympic Games began on Wednesday. But there is no medal distribution until Saturday. It could not happen before the Opening Ceremony. But on the first real day there are already several medals being handed out. Activity begins in many sports. The star of the show on Saturday is swimming.

Australia has several hopes in the pool. One of the highlights of the day will be the women's 400m freestyle. Tokyo 2020 Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus is looking for another gold against the USA's Katie Ledecky, another of the big stars of the Games, and Canada's Summer McIntosh. At the 2023 World Championships, she was able to beat them and beat the world record.



In the men's 400m freestyle, Australia has two possibilities. Sam Short was world champion at this distance in 2023, and Elijah Winnington achieved the same in 2022. Short was not at this year's World Championships in Doha, while Winnington took silver in the 400m.

Australia has more opportunities for medals in swimming on Saturday, particularly in the relays. Both the men's and women's 4x100m relay finals will take place on the first day. The women's team, which set a world record in 2023, includes Meg Harris, Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack, and Emma McKeon.

The men's 4x100m relay team faces a tougher challenge, with the USA as the favourites. However, Kyle Chalmers will lead the Australian team in hopes of achieving a different outcome and securing gold for Australia.

In diving, the women's 3m synchronised springboard event will also see medals awarded on Saturday. The Australian duo of Maddison Keeney and Anabelle Smith, who won bronze at Rio 2016, recently claimed silver at the World Championships in Doha, positioning them as strong contenders.



Australia has a strong chance of securing a medal in road cycling as Grace Brown competes in the women's time trial. Although she didn't win a medal at Tokyo 2020, she claimed silver at the last two World Championships. Starting second to last, she will benefit from having reference times from nearly all her competitors.

Additionally, skateboarding will award medals on Saturday. In the men's event at Place de La Concorde, Australia's Shane O'Neill is one of the favorites amid fierce competition.



The first team sport to finish its tournament is men's Rugby Sevens. Australia, despite leaving some doubts in the first round, have qualified for the semi-finals. They have to face Fiji, a very strong team, but the Wallabies face the day with a chance to reach the final and take the gold.

Australia are a sporting powerhouse, as they proved at Tokyo 2020, where they finished sixth in the medal table with 17 golds, seven silvers and 22 bronzes. On Saturday, they can kick off the Games in spectacular fashion and start on the road to once again excel.