'I was having fun': Why Paris 2024 was Australia's most successful Olympics ever

Australia brought home from Paris 2024 its biggest gold medal haul in Olympic history, and those within the team have revealed the driving force: Chef de Mission Anna Meares.

To the public, Meares' role was as a spokesperson for the entire athlete group. But behind the scenes, she was a mentor, supporter, and cheerleader.

As a four-time Olympian and two-time track cycling gold medallist, Meares understood like few others the pressures of being an Olympian. She was the ideal candidate.

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"Everyone has been so lovely, and Anna has done great job a making a really awesome atmosphere," discus bronze-winner Matt Denny told Wide World of Sports at Sydney Airport on Wednesday morning.

It was a sentiment echoed by swimmer Meg Harris, who won a surprise silver in the 50m freestyle behind Swedish superstar Sarah Sjöström.

She said that culture allowed all the athletes to be as relaxed and calm as possible, and to enjoy as best they can an experience few will ever understand.

"I went in that race with a goal to have fun and enjoy myself," Harris said of the 50m freestyle final.

"It was my last race, my first individual race, and getting up there with girls like Sarah, it was just an unreal experience to be up there with them. I was just making the most of the swim.

"I've seen Kaylee talk about how 'a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer'. I truly believe that in that moment that I was enjoying myself, I was having fun, and I got the result."

But it wasn't just within the Australian camp that spirits were high. Harris, at her second Games, said the mood was much different to the one that greeted athletes in Tokyo.

"I remember walking around the pool, everyone was so excited, everyone was so happy and everyone was cheering," she said.

"I think it lifted everyone together like as a team. It was such high-energy, we were all excited for each other and I think it genuinely helped us all swim well together because we all wanted to be there (and) we all wanted the best for each other."

Just what the team meant to Meares was clear for all to see. In an appearance on the Nine desk last week, she became emotional as she watched a compilation of Aussie successes.

In her final press conference of the Games last Sunday, she was emotional again as she paid tribute to her athletes.

"I have tried to think of the words to describe how I feel about this team. I am so proud, proud for them, proud of them, proud to be here with them," she said as she teared up.

"Shit, I got so far through (without crying)," she laughed immediately afterwards.

In that same press conference, she also fiercely defended under-fire break dancer Rachael "Raygun" Gunn.

View gallery

Every Australian medallist of the Paris Olympics

Earlier in the Games, Meares was among the first to stick the boot into organisers over a logistics balls-up that saw the Kookaburras driven to the wrong stadium.

Speaking as MC at the Welcome Home ceremony hosted by Qantas at a hangar at Sydney Airport on Wednesday morning, two-time Olympic swimmer Giaan Rooney praised Meares for the "extraordinary cohesion" the team had.

But Meares was having none of it.

"They made me look good," she quipped.

"We have great talent, we have great support staff, great coaches. I can't thank our team enough.

"I had more fun as a Chef than I ever did as an athlete. I got out to more sports, and it was just a really surreal experience. I'm super super proud for them and super proud of them.

"(My) ultimate goal is helping someone else have success ... and so that's the difference in the pride for me.

"I've had my fill of competing, I'm very happy for these guys and girls to do all the hard work now, and I'm happy to be behind the scenes a little bit."