2024 has been a year to remember for Australian sport.
From heartfelt goodbyes to the emergence of extraordinary young talent, Australia's stadiums, tracks and pools have been stages for unforgettable moments - capped off by our most successful Olympics yet.
As we say goodbye to 2024, here are seven standout Australian sports stories of the year.
Even amid Australia's incredibly successful Olympics campaign, the Fox sisters stole the spotlight with their victories in canoe slalom. Jessica Fox carried the weight of both the Australian flag at the Opening Ceremony and her legacy as a medallist from London, Rio and Tokyo.
This year's Games saw her add two more gold medals to her collection, cementing her status as a legend of the sport.
Better yet, the only event she didn't medal in was won by her sister, Noemie. The image of Jess leaping into the water to celebrate Noemie's victory became one of the defining moments of the Games.
Climbing to fourth overall, Piastri claimed two victories and stood on the podium eight times. In his typically nonchalant style, the young Australian played a pivotal role in guiding McLaren to their first Constructors' Championship title, solidifying his reputation as a serious contender for future World Championship glory.
This year's AFL Grand Final was historic, marking the first decider since 2006 without a Victorian team. The game itself, however, lacked the drama of some of the previous contests, with the Brisbane Lions delivering a dominant 60-point thrashing over the minor premiers, the Sydney Swans.
The victory not only avenged their 2023 Grand Final defeat to Collingwood but also ended a 21-year premiership drought, reestablishing the Lions as a powerhouse of the AFL.
David Warner walked out to his home ground of the SCG in January to a guard of honour for the last test match of his career.
With Pakistan's total of 130 runs and two days to chase it down, Warner raced to a quick half-century. However, the fairytale ending was not to be, as he fell just 11 runs short of sealing the victory. Nevertheless, the home crowd delivered a heartfelt standing ovation, bidding Warner a fitting farewell as Smith and Labuschagne took over to complete the win.
This year's Paris Olympics saw swimmer Emma McKeon add a final gold, silver and bronze to complete her haul of 14 Olympic medals. This officially cemented her as Australia's most decorated Olympian, surpassing more than 4300 athletes across 120 years.
Shortly after the Games, she confirmed her retirement, reflecting on the pride she takes in her achievements and expressing excitement for the next chapter of her life. She leaves Australia's swimming legacy in excellent hands, with Ariarne Titmus, Kaylee McKeown, Mollie O'Callaghan and Cameron McEvoy all securing individual gold medals of their own.
The 14-6 triumph over the Melbourne Storm was a full circle moment after being beaten by the Storm in the first of their five consecutive grand final appearances.
Speaking to 2GB after the match, coach Ivan Cleary acknowledged the significance of the victory, calling it “the best one” yet.
Rounding out the year, December saw teen sprinting sensation Gout Gout break Peter Norman's 200m record that stood for half a century.
Competing at the All-Schools Championship in Brisbane, the 16-year-old clocked a blistering 20.04 seconds, shaving 0.02 seconds off Norman's record and surpassing Usain Bolt's under-18 mark by 0.09 seconds.
The sprinting legend himself seemed to endorse Australia's rising track prodigy, commenting on an Instagram video of the teen's run: “he looks like young me.”