09 August 2024 – Australian race walker and IOC Young Leader Jemima Montag has achieved remarkable success at the Olympic Games Paris 2024, winning bronze medals in both women’s individual and mixed team events. Her inspiring achievements on the world stage serve as a testament to the importance of perseverance and dedication, values she passionately promotes through her project “Play On.”
Balancing her rigorous training for Paris 2024 with her full-time medical studies, Montag has also been an active member of the IOC Young Leaders 2021-24 cohort. The programme has supported her to launch “Play On”, an initiative that equips adolescent girls in Australia with the knowledge and skills they need to stay engaged in sport and recreation, and which combines her passions for health, physical activity and gender equality.
Montag’s holistic approach to training, competing, studying and giving back has proven to be a winning formula. Her outstanding performance in Paris, where she clinched third place in both the women’s 20km race walk and the brand-new mixed relay event alongside her teammate Rhydian Cowley, has etched her name in history.
Montag is now celebrated as the first Australian woman in over 50 years to win two athletics medals at a single Olympic Games. Her journey and accomplishments are a beacon of inspiration for young girls, encouraging them to stay committed to their sporting dreams.
Reflecting on her performances, Montag shared an uplifting message: “Play on is my message,” said the 26-year-old. “It doesn’t matter if you’re doing sport for fun in your backyard or whether you want to take it to Olympic level. Sport is about community, a sense of belonging, making friends, looking after your physical and mental health, and learning amazing life skills like dedication and leadership.”
Montag also believes that the journey to winning her bronze medals, during which she leveraged her status as an Olympian to give back to the next generation, has been equally as important as the outcome.
“This is a lovely reward for all of our hard work over many years, but we all enjoy the process of preparing, the friendships along the way, and the life skills we are developing,” she said.
Read more about Jemima Montag and her IOC Young Leaders project
IOC Young Leaders at Paris 2024
Montag is not the only IOC Young Leader competing in Paris. Two-time Olympian Jacqueline Simoneau, a member of the 2023-26 cohort, competed for Canada in the artistic swimming team event in Paris, finishing sixth, and is set to compete in the duet event on 9 and 10 August.
Throughout the Games, other members of the IOC Young Leaders programme have also been showcasing the positive impact of sport and its role in sustainable development at their booth in the Champions Park.
About the IOC Young Leaders programme
Launched in 2016, the IOC Young Leaders programme empowers young people to leverage the power of sport to make a positive difference in their communities, contributing to the IOC’s Olympism365 strategy. So far, these inspiring young people have delivered over 140 sport-led projects across the globe, benefitting more than 30,000 people. The programme has been supported by Worldwide Olympic and Paralympic Partner Panasonic since 2017.
