'Critical' family holiday moment behind Aussie's bronze-winning walk

Jemima Montag's 20km Olympic race walk was the "hardest thing" she's ever done "physically and mentally", the Australian athlete has revealed after her monumental bronze-winning effort.

"It was hot and humid. The course was quite interesting for just a one-kilometre loop and the noise of the spectators was on another level," the 26-year-old told Nine's Allison Langdon and James Bracey after she stepped off the podium.

"To have so many family and friends on the sideline as well in their 'Team Jem' t-shirts was exciting," she continued. "I could hardly hear them over the noise of the French crowd."

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Montag – whose Olympic journey started when she joined Little Athletics at seven years old – battled gruelling conditions in the heart of Paris to deliver another decoration for Team Australia despite humidity levels above 60 per cent and temperatures that soared into the high 20s.

China's Jiayu Yang took gold with a 1:25:54, Spain's María Pérez García claimed silver with a 1:26:19 and Montag collected bronze after clocking a 1:26:25.

Standing course-side all throughout Montag's hour-and-a-half effort was her family, who watched her take every step en route to breaking her own national record.

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"I'm very proud," Ray Montag, Jemima's father, told Nine after his daughter's medal-winning effort.

"I'm super happy for her and all her team who have put in so much effort," he continued, before shouting out the efforts of his wife Amanda Montag, Jemima's mother.

"Her mother is here, she's over there [pointing], she said I don't like to be in this situation," he continued.

"The amount of work that Amanda has put in, she certainly deserves half of that medal. It's an amazing effort."

Throughout the race, Ray Montag was seen pacing up and down the boulevard, with Nine commentators joking the proud father had covered as much ground as his daughter by the time she crossed the finish line.

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"I felt like I covered a fair bit but nothing compared to what they were doing out there," he laughed.

"This is a great moment for her. No matter what happens going forward, she's always going to be an Olympic medallist. I can feel my phone running hot."

Montag's bronze is only the second Olympic medal for Australia in women's race walking, with Jane Saville's bronze medal at Athens 2004 being the only other time someone on the team in that event has stood on the podium.

For her part, Montag also shouted out her family for their support on her Olympic journey, noting a "critical moment" on a family holiday when she was 18 and asking if she did or didn't have what it takes.

"My mum and sister were like, 'I reckon you can become an Olympian'. And that felt exciting," Montag told Langdon and Bracey.

"They're physically there for me riding the bike as I race walk day in, day out on Elwood Beach [in Victoria]," Montag continued, noting they've been by her side for the 15 years it has taken for her to get to this point.

"They're emotionally saying, 'How was training? How is your injury going?' ... To have them on the sidelines in their t-shirts at that critical point in the race, I could hear my youngest sister's croaky voice saying, 'This is your race!', and I thought, 'OK, maybe'," she said.

Montag will receive her medal on Friday, but was given a soft toy of Paris 2024's mascot in its place after the race.

"The plush toy is more important for mum's collection," Montag laughed. "So she was thrilled."