Australia's Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman hailed his team's record-equalling performance at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, wiping tears from his eyes as he spoke of its impact on people back home - a nation largely in COVID-19 lockdown.
After thanking host nation Japan for pulling off the "impossible", Chesterman spoke movingly of what the 486 athletes had endured with the strict health protocols in force in Tokyo.
"It's been a pretty tough Games, I've got to say," he said when asked to explain his emotional state. "And everything we set out to achieve, we did."We've all got our own families at home, and we've seen the impact this has had on them," Chesterman added., Chesterman said his priority had been to allow the athletes to fulfil their dreams and then to get them safely back to their families.
"It's a huge relief," he said. "It's a big campaign, it's just important that we get them home, and we will."
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