A track and field squad of 25 completes the green and gold contingent set to compete for Australia at the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Games.
Bringing together the best and brightest talent from the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, the team includes national under 18 800m champion Daniel Williams and four-time junior discus champion George Wells.
Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games team member Indiana Cooper will also start, alongside Grace Krause, who won the under 18 national 200m title, and Delta Amidzovski, who recently broke the national junior record of three-time Commonwealth Games medallist Sally Pearson in the 100m hurdles.
“I’m excited,” Amidzovski said.
“I feel that because I have had the experience of World Juniors last year, this one will be a lot easier to deal with the pressure and travel. This was one of my main goals for this year, so I’m happy that it has worked out.”
“I just have to go over there and not think about the pressure because it’s fun in its own way. The main goal was to get there so now I need to focus on those races and the long jump, I’m continuing to balance them because I love them both – I don’t have a favourite.”
Amidzovski also looks forward to embracing a new experience in a place she’s yet to visit.
“I have been researching Trinidad and Tobago. It looks like a really nice place, it’s more of an island type of vibe,” Amidzovski added.
“It will be nice to meet more cultures and see new things, because I wouldn’t necessarily get to go to these places if it wasn’t for the sport.”
Andrew Faichney, General Manger, High Performance at Athletics Australia, said he was thrilled with the quality of athletes who have earned selection and is looking forward to competition beginning in August.
“We’re incredibly excited to see what this team can do in Trinidad and Tobago. Amongst this cohort of athletes is some raw talent, including athletes that have impressed this year, shattering under 18 records, and achieving personal victories throughout the domestic season,” Faichney said.
“We believe that so many of these individuals have what it takes to reach the pinnacle of our sport, and this is just the beginning.“The Commonwealth Youth Games will be a truly fantastic event for this group. Each will leave with a taste of what it means to represent Australia, and we know from previous editions of the Games, they’ll making us all proud all while having a lot of fun”.
Regarded as the cornerstone of any Games, athletics has featured at every Youth Games since the first edition in Edinburgh in 2000.
For the first time, the Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games will deliver a fully integrated programme, with Para-athletics added to the competition schedule.
The athletics competition will take place at the Hasely Crawford Stadium in the heart of the capital, Port of Spain, from the 7-10 of August.
Australian Athletics Team - Trinbago 2023 Commonwealth Youth Games
NAME | EVENT | DISCIPLINE | STATE |
---|---|---|---|
Delta Amidzovski | Athletics | Women's 100m Hurdles, Women's Long Jump | NSW |
Xylavene Beale | Athletics | Women's Shot Put | NSW |
Fleur Cooper | Athletics | Women's 800m, Women's 1500m | NSW |
Indiana Cooper | Athletics | Women's 100m T38 | NSW |
Ori Drabkin | Athletics | Men's 100m T38, Men's Long Jump | VIC |
Charlize Goody | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw | QLD |
Zara Hagan | Athletics | Women's 100m, Women's 200m | QLD |
Ky Hehir | Athletics | Men's 3000m | WA |
Matthew Hunt | Athletics | Men's 400m Hurdles | NSW |
Josiah John | Athletics | Men's 100m, Men's 200m | WA |
Grace Krause | Athletics | Women's 200m, Women's Long Jump | NSW |
Jasynta Lampret | Athletics | Women's 100m Hurdles | NSW |
Izobelle Louison-Roe | Athletics | Women's High Jump | NSW |
Jack Love | Athletics | Men's 400m Hurdles | QLD |
Jackson Love | Athletics | Men's 100m T38, Men's Long Jump | NSW |
Niamh Mac Alasdair | Athletics | Women's Long Jump T38 | WA |
Andrew Maenda | Athletics | Men's 100m | SA |
Charlotte McAuliffe | Athletics | Women's 400m | SA |
Reese Prior | Athletics | Women's Long Jump T38 | WA |
Akeesha Snowden | Athletics | Women's 100m T38 | SA |
Toby Stolberg | Athletics | Women's High Jump | QLD |
Gabrielle Vincent | Athletics | Women's 3000m | VIC |
Chelsy Wayne | Athletics | Women's Discus Throw | NSW |
George Wells | Athletics | Men's Discus Throw | NSW |
Daniel Williams | Athletics | Men's 1500m | NSW |