Matildas goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold has opened up on what the upcoming Paris Olympics mean to her after being overlooked in the previous two campaigns.
Arnold is Australia’s clear first-choice keeper for the Games, having stamped herself as a star of the international game in the 12 months since last year’s World Cup.
But it’s taken most of the 30-year-old’s professional career to get to this point.
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She was part of the Matildas’ extended squad for Tokyo 2020 but was overlooked in every game, and made just one appearance at Rio 2016.
For that reason, the Olympic Games are a sensitive issue for the hard-nosed keeper.
“What do the Olympics mean to you?” she was asked by the Matildas media team.
“Nah, I’m not answering that. You know why. I’m not answering that,” she replied, before eventually opening up.
“When I think of the Olympics, obviously I haven’t really been part of the team directly in the last two Olympics.
“I think I only played one in Rio and obviously was part of the extended squad in Tokyo.”
But it will only make her Paris campaign taste all the more sweet this time around.
Arnold said she’s putting the disappointment of the past behind her, but using it to remind herself how far she’s come.
“When I think about potentially playing in Paris, it brings a lot of emotions up, and excitement’s obviously a big one,” she said.
“I think I’m just so proud of myself to have gotten to this stage, because I think if I think back to three years earlier to when Tokyo was, I was probably nearly ready to quit.
“So, I think if I fast-forward to now, I’m just really proud to see how far I’ve come, and my mindset and the change in that to get me to this place.
“I’m excited.”
The Matildas are among the favourites for a medal for the tournament, which starts on Friday morning (AEST), having finished fourth at the World Cup last year.
“I just think everything is now pointing to the direction that it’s time to get a medal, and I think the team is better than it’s ever been and I think we’re all in such the right mindset right now that we all believe in each other,” she said.
“We believe in our team that it’s our time to get the success that we deserve, and I think this is the tournament to do that.”
The Matildas open their campaign against Germany on Friday morning (AEST).
