For the first time Australia’s Olympic uniforms will feature Indigenous designs on every piece of the kit. The uniform was unveiled in Sydney today as experienced Olympians and hopeful debutants got their first taste of the games.
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00:00 At the Tokyo Games, only one shirt in the Australian team kit featured Indigenous designs,
00:08 and it was hot property.
00:10 It was the one piece that our team wanted to hold onto and it was the one piece that
00:14 every other country wanted to swap.
00:16 Aboriginal artist and Olympic boxer Paul Fleming and Torres Strait Islander artist David Bowson
00:22 produced the artworks for the Paris uniforms.
00:25 They represent the coming together of people of all backgrounds and capture the traditional
00:30 and modern ways of life in the Torres Strait.
00:33 Having that little bit of input on about Jersey, it makes me feel a little bit more calm and
00:38 like I'm at home.
00:39 When I put on this uniform I feel I'm not only representing Australia as a country but
00:43 I'm also representing my Indigenous culture as well.
00:46 Pulling on an Australian Olympic uniform for the first time is especially exciting for
00:51 Fijian-born weightlifter Eileen Thikumatana, who wasn't eligible to represent Australia
00:57 in Tokyo.
00:58 It's a dream come true.
01:01 Just a small girl from a village, small village in Fiji, never knew it was going to make it
01:05 this far and it's happening and it's unreal.
01:09 There are high expectations for some of Australia's most experienced campaigners.
01:14 We have a team there that is up there with the best in the world and we can win a gold
01:19 medal.
01:20 I think we've got the team to do it.
01:21 We've had a great season so far.
01:22 The team uniform for the opening and closing ceremonies is yet to be revealed, with the
01:23 Games to begin on July 26.
01:23 The Games to begin on July 26.
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