Fireworks during the Sydney Olympics Closing Ceremony, 1 October 2000

From the Opening Ceremony on 15 September 2000, with its epic celebration of Australian culture, to the Closing Ceremony’s massive party on 1 October 2000, the Sydney Olympics captivated the nation. Venues for the 300 Olympic events were packed and a team of 46,967 volunteers ensured everything ran smoothly. Australian athletes performed brilliantly before the home crowd. They won 58 medals — 16 gold, 25 silver and 17 bronze — and Australia finished 4th overall. These included Cathy Freeman’s iconic win in the 400 metres and Ian Thorpe’s three gold and one silver in the pool.