Running from international Olympic Day (23 June) to 12 August, the final day of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, the ‘Have a Go Olympic Challenge’ encourages all Australians to have a go at five Olympic sports.

Australians of all ages can download their individual Olympic Challenge scorecard, track their progress and register their personal best via haveago.olympics.com.au for a chance to win prizes from Australian Olympic Team partners Speedo and ASICS.

To launch the challenge, Owen and Holly participated in free ‘Have a Go’ surfing sessions, signed autographs and shared their experience of how having a go at Olympic sport changed their lives to over 100 surfing groms at the Seas the Day festival.

AOC CEO Matt Carroll welcomed today's announcement and highlighted the importance of participating in Olympic sport.

“It is well documented that participating in sport has wide-ranging benefits, from playing a crucial role in promoting physical and mental wellbeing, to building communities, enhancing personal development and at the top end, creating national pride," Mr Carroll said.

“The Have a Go Olympic Challenge encourages all Australians to try their hand at an Olympic sport and with 45 sports, there truly is an Olympic sport for everyone.

“With the green and gold runway to the home Games of Brisbane 2032 well underway now is the time for Australians to embrace their Olympic sport and discover their potential – great things happen when you have a go!”

Olympic bronze medallist Owen Wright said when he first started surfing as a kid it was all about having a go and having some fun.

“Having a go at different sports is one of the most important things,” Owen said. “Personally, with my own kids I just try to get them into every sport under the sun. Even for myself now as a retired athlete, I am still trying new things, I think its so important to just get out there and give it a go.

“You never know where it can take you, for me as a grom it was just about going out and having a go. When I got to 19, I decided I wanted to go pro and then when the Tokyo Games came around, I thought, I might as well have a goal of winning a medal and here I am today with Olympic bronze.”

Dual Olympian and London 2012 bronze medallist Holly Young said having a go at lots of different sports growing up helped her realise her potential.

“I did so many different sports growing up, I did athletics, swimming, soccer, surf lifesaving, and I loved it!” Holly said.

“When I was 13, I played water polo for the first time, and I finally found what my passion was. If I hadn’t tried all those other sports, I don’t think I would’ve known what it actually felt like to find a sport that I truly loved, that I was good at and what I had a passion for.

“With the Olympics in Brisbane only eight years away, who knows, you could be the next skateboarder winning a gold medal for Australia. You don’t know unless you have a go,” she concluded.

Join the Have a Go Olympic Challenge!

The ‘Have a Go Olympic Challenge’ is an extension to the AOC’s #HaveAGo campaign, designed to drive participation in Olympic sports at the grassroots level.