There is only one medal tally that counts for Aussies, and it is this revised look at the 2024 Paris Olympics results that has left most of the world stunned – and the United States fuming.
Australia has stunned the world to sit third on the current Olympics medal tally courtesy of a record haul of 18 Olympic gold medals – and counting.
Now Channel 9 has revealed that if gold medals were weighted by population, Australia would be the frontrunners.
Hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo unveiled a new-look Olympic medal tally that was based on population per capita. The less people behind each gold medal, the higher the ranking.
And because of our modest population of 26 million, Australia surges ahead of powerhouses China and the United States.
‘These are the top three countries on the normal medal tally, but this is actually the medal tally that counts,’ Abo said.
‘Yes it is,’ Stefanovic confirmed.
‘It is, right? So Australia, we have one gold medal per 1.44million people as opposed to the US,’ Abo replied.
‘Who has one gold per 12.3million people and China …’ Stevanovic added.
‘One gold per 56million people. Hey, how about it,’ Abo said.
The Channel 9 graphic shows that Australia would be top if the 2024 Paris Olympics medal tally was weighted by population
Australia has been led by our swimmers including Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell, Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan (pictured left to right)
Normally Australia drops off in week two, but athletes like Nina Kennedy have stopped that from happening with gold medals in track and field as well
Now other countries are starting to take notice as well, with the UK’s Daniel Olaniran, known online as ‘OlanTekkers’ is the internets favourite failed footballer, posting a video to his audience of nearly 500,000 people.
‘This is the current medal tally for the Olympics, Aussies?’ he mused.
‘Aussie, Aussie, Aussie, sitting in fourth position for a population of 26million.
‘Yes we know half of the medals are in swimming, that’s fine.
‘Just look at the populations of the countries that are currently beating Australia.
‘We’ve got China, 1.4 billion people. What the f***? United States and France.
‘Now Australia only has 26 million people and you’re telling me you’re breeding athletes like this.
‘We’ve got to see what’s in water.’
Oliver Bleddyn, Sam Welsford, Conor Leahy and Kelland O’Brien broke a 20 year hoodoo to claim more historic gold for Auatralia
Aussie TikTok users were quick to point out that popularity of swimming in our country which has translated to enormous success in the pool in Paris.
‘Because for some weird reason in australia, from the age of 7-12 it was normal to swim 20-30 laps of a 50 metre pool after school every day for fun,’ one posted.
‘We have to do swimming lessons for 6 years of primary school, plus swimming carnivals every year,’ recalled another.
‘We have a huge sporting culture in general and all of us learn to swim at a young age as self preservation,’ posted another.
Needless to say, United States TikTok users were not impressed.
The United States official Olympics network NBC has been repeatedly lashed for favouring overall medals for their leaderboard, rather than the universal convention of valuing gold medals only for ranking, with minor medals used to decide tie breaks.
Keegan Palmer could have qualified for the United States, but chose the country he learned to skate in to claim back-to-back skateboarding gold medals
Now American fans are accusing Aussies of doctoring the tally to their own advantage as well.
‘Aussies were absolutely screeching that the “only thing that matters how many gold medals you have”. Now there is all of a sudden caveats and (added value) to something that’s not most gold medals,’ one fumed.
‘Wait does Australia not actually know how math works? Per capita would mean Australia should have 9x the amount of medals the US has. So by “per capita” logic Australia is still behind the US,’ worked out another US follower.
‘Per Capita Olympics is cope,’ posted another one.
There was one thing everybody agreed on, though. What is exactly is in the water in Australia.
‘What’s in the water? Sharks, crocodiles, blue ring octopus, sting rays, box jellyfish etc etc etc.’