Commonwealth Games gold medallists feature in biggest Australian Athletics Team for an overseas Olympics

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The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has announced a 64-strong athletics team, including 34 Commonwealth Games Australia alumni, selected for the Australian Olympic Athletics Team for Tokyo.

Australia will field its third-largest athletics team in Olympic history after naming an additional 37 members to the 27 athletes already named completing the 64-strong squad which features 34 Commonwealth Games Australia alumni team members.

More than half the team will are Commonwealth Games Australia alumni team members, with 34 Commonwealth Games team members making to trip to Japan.

The Tokyo team only trails the Sydney 2000 (87) and Melbourne 1956 (75) home Olympics, which have had bigger Australian Olympic athletics teams.

The 36 athletes announced include Glasgow 2014 team member Jeff Riseley who has made his fourth Olympics, Gold Coast 2018 javelin gold medallist Kathryn Mitchell, two-time Commonwealth Games representatives Dave McNeill and Henry Frayne returning for their third Olympics, 10 athletes returning for their second Games and 22 Olympic debutants.

Riseley joins previously selected Tokyo teammates and Commonwealth Games medallists Dani Stevens and Lisa Weightman in equalling the most Olympics by Australian Athletics representatives, with seven other athletes including marathon legends Robert de Castella and Lisa Ondieki.

The athletics team features seven Commonwealth Games gold medallists, racewalkers Dane Bird-Smith and Jemima Montag, pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall, high jumpers Eleanor Patterson and Brandon Starc, discus thrower Stevens, javelin thrower Mitchell, who will be aiming for Olympic gold.

Gold Coast 2018 discus silver medallist Matt Denny returns for his second Olympics, securing his selection with a personal best throw.

“I was so happy to throw a PB so close to Tokyo especially considering we have a lot of freshening up to do to get into peak form, so I’m very excited about the form I potentially could get into,” Denny said.

“I’m really just looking forward to finally competing again. It’s been a long time between drinks when it comes to competing internationally, so I’m hanging out to get back in the ring. The past few years have had a lot of learning curves, but it’s nice to have learnt them ahead of Tokyo.”

 

RUNNING MUMS TO CREATE RECORDS AS MARATHONERS AND RACEWALKERS READY FOR THE ROADS IN SAPPORO

Six marathoners and a racewalker, headlined by Gold Coast 2018 silver medallist Lisa Weightman, have been added to the Australian Olympic Team for the Tokyo Olympics today.

Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team Ian Chesterman congratulated the athletes on their selection.

“With athletes facing so many obstacles and challenging to qualification and competition throughout this Olympic cycle, it is fantastic to send our biggest ever athletics team to an away Games,” Mr Chesterman said.

“To have so many athletes qualify is a great reflection of their commitment and persistence. It also speaks volumes of the tremendous support from their coaches, families, friends and Athletics Australia. The depth and talent we have in Australian athletics is exciting.

“With 63 athletes this is the biggest section of the team and they will bring great energy to the group in the second week of the Games.

“Well done to all the athletes, I look forward to seeing you in Tokyo in just a few short weeks.”

Most Australian based Athletics team members will join a pre-Olympics training camp in Cairns from 10 July.

The Athletics competition will run from 30 July – 8 August Tokyo’s Olympic Stadium for track and field and Sapporo Odori Park for road events.

Australian Olympic Athletics Team

Name Event Age State Olympic Games Experience Commonwealth Games Experience
Liam Adams Marathon 24 VIC 2nd (2016) 2014 – Marathon - 7th; 2018 – Marathon - 5th
Kelsey-Lee Barber Javelin 26 ACT 2nd (2016) 2014 – Javelin - Bronze; 2018 – Javelin - Silver
Hana Basic 100m 25 VIC Debut
Izzi Batt-Doyle 5000m 25 SA Debut
Alex Beck 400m 29 QLD Debut 2014 – 4 x 400m Relay - 6th
Ellie Beer 4x400m Relay 18 QLD Debut
Dane Bird-Smith 20km Walk 28 QLD 2nd (2016 - Bronze) 2018 – 20km Walk - Gold
Catriona Bisset 800m 27 NSW Debut
Angeline Blackburn 4x400m Relay 31 ACT Debut
Jenny Blundell 5000m 27 NSW 2nd (2016)
Peter Bol 800m 27 VIC 2nd (2016)
Rohan Browning 100m 23 NSW Debut 2018 – 100m - Semi-Final; 4x100m Relay - 4th
Ben Buckingham 3000m Steeplechase 29 VIC Debut
Sarah Carli 400m Hurdles 26 NSW Debut
Amy Cashin 3000m Steeplechase 26 VIC Debut
Matthew Clarke 3000m Steeplechase 26 SA Debut
Liz Clay 100m hurdles 25 NSW Debut
Rhydian Cowley 50km walk 30 VIC 2nd (2016) 2018 – 20km Walk - 11th
Rose Davies 5000m 21 NSW Debut
Riley Day 200m 21 QLD Debut 2018 – 200m - Semi-Final; 4x100m Relay - DQ
Matthew Denny Discus Throw 25 QLD 2nd (2016) 2018 – Hammer - Silver, Discus - 4th
Sinéad Diver Marathon 44 VIC Debut
Cedric Dubler Decathlon 26 QLD 2nd (2016) 2018 – Decathlon - Bronze
Jye Edwards 1500m 23 NSW Debut
Henry Frayne Long Jump 31 QLD 3rd (2012 & 2016) 2014 – Long Jump; 2018 – Long Jump - Silver
Genevieve Gregson 3000m Steeplechase 31 QLD 3rd (2012, 2016) 2014 – 3000m Steeplechase - 5th; 2018 – 3000m Steeplechase - 5th
Georgia Griffith 1500m 24 VIC Debut 2018 – 1500m - 5th, 800m - Heats
Linden Hall 1500m 29 VIC 2nd (2016) 2018 – 1500m - 4th
Katie Hayward 20km Walk 20 QLD Debut
Bec Henderson 20km Walk 19 VIC Debut
Ollie Hoare 1500m 24 NSW Debut
Nick Hough 110m Hurdles 27 NSW Debut 2014 – 110m Hurdles - 4th; 2018 – 110m Hurdles - Bronze
Kendra Hubbard 4x400m relay 31 VIC Debut
Jessica Hull 5000m 23 NSW Debut
Charlie Hunter 800m 24 VIC Debut
Nina Kennedy Pole vault 24 WA Debut 2018 – Pole vault - Bronze
Mackenzie Little Javelin Throw 24 NSW Debut
Kurtis Marschall Pole vault 23 SA Debut 2018 – Pole vault - Gold
Nicola McDermott High jump 24 NSW Debut 2018 – High jump - Bronze
Morgan McDonald 5000m 25 NSW Debut 2018 – 5000m - 8th
Dave McNeill 5000m 34 VIC 3rd (2012 & 2016) 2010 – 5000m - 8th; 2018 – 5000m - 12th
Stewart McSweyn 5000m, 10000m 23 TAS Debut 2018 – 5000m - 5th; 10000m - 11th
Kathryn Mitchell Javelin Throw 38 VIC 3rd (2012 & 2016) 2006 – Javelin - 6th; 2010 – Javelin - 5th; 2014 – Javelin - 4th; 2018 – Javelin - Gold
Morgan Mitchell 800m 26 VIC 2nd (2016) 2014 – 400m - Semi-finals, 4x400m Relay - 4th; 2018 – 400m - Semi-finals, 4x400m Relay - 5th
Ash Moloney Decathlon 21 QLD Debut
Jemima Montag 20km walk 22 VIC Debut 2018 – 20km Walk - Gold
Bendere Oboya 400m 21 NSW Debut 2018 – 400m - Heats
Elizaveta Parnova Pole Vault 27 WA 2nd (2016) 2010 – Pole Vault - 11th; 2014 – Pole Vault; 2018 – Pole Vault - 5th
Ellie Pashley Marathon 32 VIC Debut
Eleanor Patterson High Jump 25 NSW 2nd (2016) 2014 – High Jump - Gold
Jack Rayner Marathon 25 VIC Debut
Jeffrey Riseley 800m 34 VIC 4th (2008, 2012 & 2016) 2014 – 1500m - 5th, 800m - 5th
Brett Robinson Marathon 30 VIC 2nd (2016)
Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw 4x400m relay 29 NSW 2nd (2016)
Steven Solomon 400m 28 NSW 2nd (2016) 2014 – 400m - Semi-final; 2018 – 400m - Semi-final, 4x400m Relay
Brandon Starc High Jump 27 NSW 2nd (2016) 2014 – High Jump - 8th; 2018 – High Jump - Gold
Dani Stevens Discus 32 NSW 4th (2008, 2012, 2016) 2006 – Discus - Bronze; 2014 – Discus - Gold; 2018 – Discus - Gold
Brooke Stratton Long jump 27 VIC 2nd (2016) 2018 – Long Jump - Silver
Kyle Swan 20km Walk 22 VIC Debut
Patrick Tiernan 5000m, 10,000m 26 QLD 2nd (2016) 2018 – 10000m
Declan Tingay 20km Walk 22 WA Debut
Edward Trippas 3000m Steeplechase 22 NSW Debut
Lisa Weightman Marathon 42 VIC 4th (2008, 2012, 2016) 2010 – Marathon - Bronze; 2018 – Marathon - Silver
Georgia Winkcup 3000m Steeplechase 24 NSW Debut

With thanks Australian Olympic Committee and Athletics Australia.

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