The Australians have won four medals - a gold, two silver and a bronze.

"When you think about the history this team has created, it adds to the magic of these Games to be asked to lead out the team." Kennedy-Sim, who finished eighth in the freestyle ski cross, said. 

Australia's Chef de Mission Geoff Lipshut explained why Kennedy-Sim, who suffered a stroke before Sochi 2014 had been chosen with team-mate Jakara Anthony, winner of the gold medal in the women's moguls, having already returned home to Melbourne. 

"Sami really deserves this honour, her commitment and professionalism goes to the heart of what this team has been about," he said. 

"Sami has made her career the most of what it could be and  has been the standard bearer for her sport and keeping her sport going in our country."

Australia won more golds at both Salt Lake City 2002 and Vancouver 2010 but they have never won four medals before at a single Winter Olympics.

Overall, Australia had nine athletes place in the top six at Beijing 2022.

It was their best performance since they began competing in the Winter Olympics at Garmisch-Partenkirchen in 1936.

They did not win their first medal until Lillehammer 1994 but have now won at least one medal in every Games. 

"The number of medal opportunities we had at these Games is far beyond anything I have experienced," Lipshutt said.

"Before these Games I said if we managed four medals, that would be fantastic because that’s unknown territory for an Australian team.

"The collective disappointment of those near misses illustrates how far we have come."

Vewing figures in Australia have topped 12 million with the last day of competition and Closing Ceremony still to come.

A total of 339 million minutes of coverage have been streamed digitally.

"The digital audience was amazing, up 273 percent on Pyeongchang four years ago," Lipshut said.

The Australian Olympic Committee also claimed its own digital channels reached 39 million people.