Sport plays an important role in the conception of Australian national identity. With the 2024 Paris Olympic and Paralympic Games currently in swing and Queensland preparing to host the games in 2032, international success in the green and gold remains a focus of the Australian media.
But away from international performances, banal experiences in everyday settings also contribute to perceptions of national identity. Experiences in local and school sport – away from the bright lights of sporting mega-events – are crucial to understanding how and why sport connects strongly to Australian identity.
