Her record five gold medals in a single games was not equalled until 1990, when swimmer Hayley Lewis took five golds in Auckland, and not beaten until Susie O'Neill won six golds in Kuala Lumpur in 1998. Norman remained in Sydney, to begin training for the next Olympics, however her further athletic ambitions were blunted, when the 1940 Olympics were cancelled due to World War II.
Norman was the first Australian to win a gold medal in Sydney, with an 11.1 second time in the 100 yard sprint. She followed this up with a win in the final leg of the 440 yard medley relay, an Empire record-breaking long jump, the 220 yard sprint, and the 660 yard relay.