Calmly steering her way through the storm, Matildas veteran Michelle Heyman says age has given her the confidence to take on the Paris Olympics.
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After representing Australia at the Rio Games eight years ago, Heyman stepped away from an international career in 2019, but was recalled by coach Tony Gustavsson following Sam Kerr's ACL injury, expected to rule the captain out of the 2024 Games.
The 35-year-old forward shone in Australia's 10-0 thumping of Uzbekistan that secured the Matildas' ticket to the Paris Olympics, scoring four goals in her first call-up since 2018.
Part of the Australian Olympic Committee squad launching the Paris opening ceremony uniforms in Sydney on Wednesday, Heyman said she was more self-assured as an athlete and person than ever.
"I think Rio I panicked," she said.
"You know, it's quite scary. Going to the Olympics, I think when you're younger, I think is a little bit overwhelming."
"Now it comes with age. I just feel so comfortable and confident within my own skin that when I get out on the field, I don't even like notice anyone else.
"I'm just doing the things that I need to be doing to win games."
Thinking back on her last Olympics, when she scored two goals, Heyman said the experience of Rio 2016 left her wanting more out of her performance.
"I scored some goals but I didn't score as many as I wanted, we didn't win a medal," she explained.
"I thought that was going to be my last Olympics.
"I'm just like, I want to do more. And I want to make sure that I'm performing at the best of my ability by that time."
Despite not knowing if she has a ticket to Paris, with selections for the Matildas Games squad yet to be announced, the forward said confidence in her own abilities was high amid the drive to toward a first podium finish for the record-breaking women's team.
"But yeah, I have no idea what's going on in Tony's (Gustavsson) head," she said.
"Fingers crossed, I'll be wearing this jacket soon."
Post the home 2023 World Cup, Heyman said the skyrocketing interest and support for the Matildas and women's sport was "wild" to experience.
"I think my last game that I played in Sydney before we went to the World Cup, here was 5000 people in the stand - to now walking out in Melbourne with 55,000 people cheering us on," she said.
"It's wild to see how incredible it is for all of Australia to be backing the Matildas now."
Australian Associated Press
