Canberra athletes have a story to tell as they prepare for the Paris Olympics this week

As we look from afar at the feats of our Olympians, there is a perception that here they are in the prime of their lives, far fitter than the average person and seemingly with the world at their feet.

But more often than not, this isn’t the case. There are many who have made enormous sacrifices. Some have put their lives on hold or overcome injury or non-selection to make the team.

There are a number of Canberra athletes competing in Paris who well and truly fall into that category.

Michelle Heyman retired from international football in 2019 after seemingly being on the outer with selectors after being named in the Matilda’s squad for the 2018 Asian Cup. She didn’t make it onto the field.

She continued playing, though. Through the sheer accumulation of goals for Canberra United in the A-League Women’s competition, at 36 years of age, Michelle was called back into the Matilda’s lineup earlier this year following an injury to Sam Kerr.

Michelle lit up the Olympic qualification series. She scored in her first match for the Matildas in six years, forcing her way into the Australian team for Paris.

Michael Matthews is another Canberra athlete who has overcome the disappointment of non-selection to win a place in the Australian road cycling team for Paris.

After narrowly missing selection for the team for Rio, the 33-year-old felt as though he had satisfied the criteria for the Tokyo Olympics, only to miss out again.

He’ll line up for the 273-kilometre road race along a course with 2800 metres of climbing.

Queanbeyan boxer Monique Suraci has faced many hurdles on her way to selection in the 51-kilo division, including covering the costs of training and competing while holding down a job.

At times, things have been tough, but there has been plenty of fundraising and support to ensure she realises her dream of competing at the Olympics.

At 43 years of age, Lauren Jackson’s battle to overcome injury has been well documented and, if anything, has added to the aura of Australia’s greatest women’s player as she prepares for her fifth Olympics.

Lauren has retired three times before getting to this point as she struggled with multiple injuries throughout her career.

She will be in the lineup for the Opals with fellow Canberra basketballers Jade Melbourne and Marianna Tolo.

In the men’s team, Patty Mills appears equally ageless as he prepares for his fifth Olympics.

He has overcome a lack of game time in the NBA in the past 12 months to again prove that age is no barrier, scoring a game-high 24 points in the Boomers warmup game against France.

Patty will turn 36 on the night of the closing ceremony.

Andrew Charter is another whose career has stretched across plenty of years.

At 37, the Kookaburras goalkeeper continues to hold off challenges from the younger brigade.

Corey Toole has had a less-than-conventional route to the Rugby 7s team for the Olympics.

Corey arrived in Canberra from Wagga Wagga aiming for selection with the Brumbies. He spent a couple of seasons with the Gungahlin Eagles where his pace caught the eye of the 7s program selectors.

Through sheer hard work, he won a place not only in the Australian 7s team but also in the Brumbies, and he could wear the gold of the Wallabies when he returns from Paris.

Sharni Smale (nee Williams) has faced many hurdles in her rugby career, but at 36 years of age, she is preparing for her Olympic swan song.

Sharni, an Olympic gold medallist who competed in Rio, has announced that she will be retiring from the 7s competition at the end of the Paris Games to focus on the Wallaroos World Cup campaign.

Rebecca Henderson has recovered from a ruptured ligament in her ankle this year to win a place on the Australian team in mountain bike cross country.

Thirty-two-year-old Bec will be competing in her fourth Olympics and has just made it to the start line due to her injury.

Olympic bronze medal javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Barber is another who has battled injury to make the Paris team. After success in Tokyo, Kelsey-Lee has proven that she thrives under pressure and adversity.

Marathon runner Brett Robinson grew up in Canberra, excelling on the soccer fields before eventually switching to track and field. He made the final of the 5000 metres in Rio before competing in the marathon in Tokyo.

In 2022, he became Australia’s fastest-ever men’s marathon runner, breaking Rob de Castella’s record, which had stood for 36 years.

There are a number of athletes in the Australian team who spend much of their time training in Canberra, including 10 members of the rowing team and artistic gymnast Jesse Moore.

Every athlete competing in Paris has a back story. It takes so much to get there. But to have a link with so many of the athletes who trained in Canberra and the surrounding district brings something extra to our relationship with individuals and their sport.