With the Opals clinching bronze at Paris 2024, Lauren Jackson made history by becoming the first Australian to win medals in five different editions of the Olympics.

The 43-year-old Lauren Jackson, widely considered the greatest Australian female basketball star, didn’t play the bronze medal match but was part of the Opals’ side that won its sixth medal in the event at the Summer Games.

For Lauren Jackson, however, it was her fifth Olympic medal for Australia. Besides the Atlanta 1996 Games, she has been a part of every single Opals side that has secured a podium finish at the Olympics.

Between Sydney 2000 and Beijing 2008, Jackson won three consecutive silver medals. She was then part of the bronze medal-winning Opals side at London 2012 before knee injuries forced her to retire from international basketball in 2016, ahead of the Rio Games.

Jackson made a stunning comeback to the Australian Olympics basketball team at Paris 2024 after 12 years where she ended her Olympic career with an unprecedented fifth medal.

“Five for five!” Jackson exclaimed following the nervy 85-81 win over Belgium in the bronze medal match.

“I’ve been on the sidelines. I’ve been supporting the girls, and I think that the Paris Olympics has been one of my favourites.”

Jackson was 19 when she made her Olympic debut with the Opals on home soil in Sydney. She averaged 15.9 points and 8.4 rebounds per game as Australia won the silver medal.

Australia had to settle for silver again when Jackson returned for Athens 2004 where she averaged 22.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game. At Beijing 2008, she captained the Opals to another silver medal and averaged 17.3 points and 8.6 rebounds per game.

In each of the three finals, they lost to the 10-time Olympic basketball champions USA.

Jackson was the flag-bearer for Australia at the London 2012 Olympics Opening Ceremony where the women’s basketball team would go on to clinch bronze.

She made a remarkable comeback from retirement at the age of 40 with her hometown team Albury Wodonga in the NBL1, before earning a call-up to the Opals squad. Jackson also helped the Opals win a bronze medal at the FIBA World Cup in 2022.

The veteran basketball player also helped the Opals secure a Paris 2024 Olympics quota with strong performances in the qualifying tournament in Brazil.

Although she retired once again, Lauren Jackson eventually returned to make history for Australia in Paris.