By Emma Burke 9/7/24
Above: Australia’s Ellie Carpenter. Photo Kris Goman for Impetus.
Ahead of the Matildas’ final preparation game for the Olympic Games, defender Ellie Carpenter sat down with media to discuss the team’s hopes for Paris, her past Olympic appearances, the upcoming game against Canada, and being named Vice-Captain.
“Every game is a final, you have to be ready for it,” said Carpenter.
“It’s most of our third Olympics, second Olympics, so we know what it’s about. It’s a tough schedule, it’s every two days you’re backing up against top-10 teams in the world,” she continued.
“The best is going to win it, the fittest.”
The Matildas open their Olympic tournament against Germany, in Marseille, before travelling to Nice to play Zambia, then back to Marseille to play the United States, all in the span of six days.
The past two major tournaments have seen the Matildas just miss out on a podium finish, placing fourth each time.
“We all still remember that feeling of losing the medal match, losing the semi to not being in that gold-medal match. We don’t want to repeat that.”
“Coming fourth at the Olympics is honestly the worst place you would come,” said Carpenter.
At her last Olympic Games, in Tokyo, she was unable to take to the field in the third-place match, due to receiving a late red card in the semi-final loss to Sweden.
“I hope not to repeat that, I hope to play in a medal match, they’re the games you want to play in, the games you want to help your team win.”
The final stop before Paris? One last game against Canada, the current Olympic Champions, in Spain.
“It’s kind of a pre-warm up before the Olympics,” said Carpenter, “it gives a chance to give match minutes, fitness and final tune ups.”
With many players currently on their end of season breaks, the match will be an opportunity for the team to get back into gear and ready for the tournament ahead.
This time around, the games will look a little different for Carpenter, as she goes into it having been named a Vice-Captain.
“It is a very proud moment for myself, and I’m very proud to be named,” she said.
“When I got named Vice-Captain, I just kept being me, I didn’t change anything, I think that’s why I got chosen to be in that role.”
As for the tournament itself, Carpenter stressed that despite wanting to come away with a medal, there’s no expectations on the team from within the team.
“Like the World Cup, we’re going to go in there, do our best, and see what happens.”
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