Cue the bleary-eyes.
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The biggest sporting event in the world is just days away.
From Friday July 26, all eyes will be Paris as the 'City of Love' hosts the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad.
The region will once again have plenty of local heroes to get behind with five of the 460-strong Australian team boasting strong ties to the north west.
For four of them it will be their first Olympics experience.
Here's the rundown on our local hopes.
Nick Kay
Hometown: Tamworth
Sport: Basketball
The McCarthy Catholic College alumni is one of eight players backing up from the side that won bronze in Tokyo three years ago. Averaging 11 points, 6.3 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.2 steals as the Boomers clinched Australia's first Olympic medal in men's basketball, the forward/centre's stature in the side has only grown, captaining them in a number of the World Cup qualifying games.
The 31-year-old's journey to the Olympic court is testament to virtue of hard work, sacrifice and persistence. As his mum Terrie recalled he didn't make his first [other than Tamworth] representative team until his final year of juniors.
Since then he's accumulated an impressive resume.
In his four years with the Denver Metropolitan State University (MSU) he helped them to four consecutive NCAA tournaments including a runner-up finish in 2013, and finished his time there with the second-most free throws made (449), games played (114), and minutes (3,969) in the Roadrunners' history.
Returning to Australia, he linked up with the Townsville Crocodiles and in his debut season was named the NBL Rookie of the Year. After moving from the Illawarra Hawks to the Perth Wildcats in 2018, he played a starring role as the Wildcats won the title in 2019 and was duly named in the All-NBL First Team.
Disappointingly failing to progress beyond the pool stages at the 2023 World Cup, the Boomers have been drawn in the so-called 'pool of death' with Spain, Greece and Canada in their group.
When to watch (all times AEST):
Saturday, July 27: Australia v Spain, 7pm
Tuesday July 30: Australia v Greece, 9:30pm
Friday August 2: Australia v Canada, 9.30pm
- The top three in each group will progress onto the second round in Paris
Alice Arnott
Hometown: Willow Tree
Sport: Hockey
Barely 18 months ago, the former Calrossy student's Olympic dream seemed as far away as it had ever been. After missing out on the 2023 squad, she admits she thought her chances of ever suiting up for the Hockeyroos were over.
But after deciding to join boyfriend and Kookaburra Tom Craig in the Netherlands, and impressing for her Klein Zwitserland team, the opportunity the 26-year-old striker had been working so hard towards, and waiting so long for, finally arrived.
Making her debut in the series against India in May 2023, Arnott has made every post a winner since.
She continues Tamworth's strong legacy at the Olympics when it comes to hockey, following in the footsteps of Kim Small, Matthew Smith, Michael York, Kate Jenner and Georgina Morgan.
The Hockeyroos head into Paris ranked No.5 in the world and will face Argentina, Great Britain, Spain, United States and South Africa through the pool stages.
When to watch (all times AEST):
Sunday, July 28: Australia v South Africa, 8.45pm
Tuesday, July 30: Australia v Great Britain, 1am
Wednesday, July 31: Australia v USA, 9.15pm
Friday, August 2: Australia v Argentina, 4.15am
Saturday, August 3: Australia v Spain, 8.45pm
Finals:
Monday, August 5: Quarter-finals
Wednesday, August 7: Semi-finals
Friday, August 9: Gold and bronze medal games
Laura Gourley
Hometown: Narrabri
Sport: Rowing
One of the babies of the Rowsella's team, the 22-year-old boasts quite the sporting pedigree.
Rugby league and union fans would be familiar with the Gourley name with her grand father, Robin, and uncle, Scott, both dual internationals. Her father, Ian, is meanwhile a familiar face around Central North rugby traps.
But it is with the oars rather than the footy that Gourley has made her name.
Only introduced to the sport when she started at Sydney's Loreto Normanhurst Catholic School in Year 9, she has come a long way from the girl who zig-zagged her way across the lanes in her first race and finished last.
Making her Australian debut at the 2022 under 23 World Rowing Championships in Varese, Gourley will combine with Ria Thompson, Rowena Meredith and Caitlin Cronin in the women's quad sculls.
She will be one of the first of the locals in action with the quad heats the final event of the first day of the rowing program.
Along with boxer Shannan Davey, Gourley is the Narrabri area's first Olympian since javelin thrower Andrew Currey in 2000.
When to watch (all times AEST):
Saturday, July 27: Heats, 8.50pm
Monday, July 29: Repechages, 7.30pm
Wednesday, July 31: B Final, 8.14pm, A Final, 8.38pm
Shannan Davey
Hometown: Narrabri
Sport: Boxing (Men's 71kg)
The 24-year-old will be part of Australia's largest ever Olympic boxing team.
Now based in Bundaberg, the former Narrabri High School student's Olympic journey started after a deal with his older brother 10 years ago.
"I was living in Narrabri and playing footy and let's just say I was a bit overweight at that time," Davey said in his athlete bio. "I was eating pizza, when my brother said if I put down the slice he'd let me go to boxing with him - I loved every second of it and now I watch what I eat, and it's not pizza."
Chasing more opportunities, he moved north a few years ago to train with renowned boxing coach Attila Kovacs.
After representing Australia at the 2023 World Championships in Uzbekistan, Davey then fought at the Pacific Games in Honiara, Solomon Islands, where he won the 71kg gold medal bout to earn a quota spot for the Olympics.
When to watch (all times AEST):
Sunday, July 28 - Prelims - Round of 32 (from 11.46pm)
Hilary Scott
Hometown: Moree
Sport: Showjumping
Growing up on a farm near Moree, the 36-year-old was on horseback before she could walk and credits her country upbringing as a big part of her journey.
"It has had a huge impact on my equestrian pursuits, as it is where I first began riding on our family property, which then progressed into local pony club," she said.
Moving down to Sydney in her early teens, her Olympic dream was sparked when she watched Andrew Hoy, Phillip Dutton, Stuart Tinney and Matthew Ryan win gold at the Sydney 2000 games.
Scott will part of Australia's first ever all-female jumping team, qualifying alongside Edwina Tops-Alexander and Thaisa Erwin.
When to watch (all times AEST):
Monday, August 5: Individual qualifier, 10pm
* There are a couple of other athletes that also boast ties to the region. Thaisa Erwin lived in Armidale for a time while highjumper Brandon Starc's mother, Julie May, grew up in Narrabri and his grandparents, Betty and Frank Atkinson, still reside there.
