2022 National Athlete Support Structure Announced

169 of Australia’s top track and field athletes will receive direct assistance from Athletics Australia (AA), under details of the new National Athlete Support Structure (NASS) announced today.

Athletes including Tokyo Olympic medallists Nicola McDermott, Kelsey-Lee Barber and Ash Moloney, as well as Paralympic gold medallists Madison de Rozario, Vanessa Low and James Turner, will be provided support under NASS, with all athletes selected having demonstrated the potential to achieve both AA and the AIS targets at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, World Championships and the Commonwealth Games.

A total of 118 able-bodied athletes and 51 Para-athletes have been awarded membership, with 28 athletes elevated to a higher level of membership and 22 more joining the structure since the last review.

“Our Australian representative teams at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games were hugely successful, with the results of our athletes an exciting indication of what’s to come with the right support structure behind them,” said Athletics Australia General Manager, High Performance, Andrew Faichney.

“On the basis of our targets with the AIS, we are pleased to name 169 athletes as members of NASS and we are particularly proud to welcome new athletes and upgrade a number of athletes who have demonstrated their potential throughout the domestic season and at the Tokyo Olympic and Paralympic Games.

“I have no doubt that the support behind each of them will assist in our efforts to deliver strong results in 2022 at the World Athletics Championships, World Para-athletics Championships, Commonwealth Games and the World Under 20 Championships around the corner, and of course as we look ahead to Paris 2024.”

Athletics Australia’s NASS Selection identifies athletes and uses AIS categorisation to place each selected athlete within a national tiered support model, which is then applied through Athletics Australia’s delivery partners - the National Institute Network.

“NASS athletes are selected into three streams – the Medal, Pathway and Representative Stream.  The Medal and Pathway Stream selections are based on an athlete’s performance trajectory and the Representative Stream offers support to the athletes who are highly likely to achieve selection for our 2022 major championships

“With a busy 2022 on the horizon and our domestic season in sight, we’re looking forward to seeing our athletes take to the track and field and work towards lifting the standard of Australian athletics once again.”

The benefits that athletes will receive on each level of the program will be published within the policy and will depend on the resources available to Athletics Australia’s support partners within the National Institute Network.

To view the NASS policy, please click here.

National Athlete Support Structure – Able-bodied athletes:

Medal Stream:

Podium

Kelsey-Lee Barber, QLD – Javelin Throw (Mike Barber)
Nicola McDermott, NSW – High Jump (Matt Horsnell)
Ashley Moloney, QLD – Decathlon (Eric Brown)

Podium Ready
Peter Bol, VIC – 800m (Justin Rinaldi)
Rhydian Cowley, VIC – 35km Walk (Brent Vallance)
Matthew Denny, QLD – Discus Throw (Ben Thomson)
Linden Hall, VIC – 1500m (Ned Brophy-Williams)
Nina Kennedy, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)
Mackenzie Little, NSW – Javelin (Angus McEntyre)
Kurtis Marschall, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)
Stewart McSweyn, VIC – 1500m/5000m (Nic Bideau)
Kathryn Mitchell, VIC – Javelin Throw (Uwe Hohn)
Jemima Montag, VIC – 20km Walk (Brent Vallance)
Eleanor Patterson, NSW- High Jump (Alex Stewart)
Brandon Starc, NSW – High Jump (Alex Stewart)
Brooke Stratton, VIC – Long Jump (Russell Stratton)

Podium Potential
Dane Bird-Smith, QLD – 20km Walk
Catriona Bisset, VIC – 800m (Ned Brophy-Williams)
Rohan Browning, NSW – 100m / 4x100m Relay (Andrew Murphy)
Liz Clay, QLD – 100m Hurdles (Sharon Hannan and David Reid)
Riley Day, QLD – 200m / 4x100m Relay (Paul Pearce)
Sinead Diver, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)
Cedric Dubler, QLD – Decathlon (Chris Gaviglio)
Katie Hayward, QLD – 20kmk Walk (Steve Langley)
Oliver Hoare, O/S – 1500m (Dathan Riztenhein)
Jessica Hull, O/S – 1500m (Pete Julian)
Darcy Roper, QLD – Long Jump (Gary Bourne)
Patrick Tiernan, O/S – 10,000m (Mark Rowland)
Declan Tingay, WA – 20km Walk (Steven Tingay)

Medical
Genevieve Gregson, QLD – 3000m Steeplechase (Nic Bideau)

Pathway Stream:

Developing

Angus Armstrong, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)
Hana Basic, VIC – 100m / 4x100m Relay (John Nicolosi)
Ellie Beer, QLD – 400m / 4x400m Relay (Brett Robinson)
Ella Connolly, QLD – Sprints & Relays (Mark Ladbrook)
Jye Edwards, ACT – 1500m (Dick Telford)
Rebecca Henderson, VIC – 20km Walk (Simon Baker)
Alexander Kolesnikoff, O/S – Shot Put / Discus Throw (David Bruce)
Nash Lowis, QLD – Javelin Throw (Leslye Muller)
Cameron McEntyre, NSW – Javelin Throw (Angus McEntyre)
Celeste Mucci, VIC – 100m Hurdles / 4x100m Relay (Darren Clark)
Bendere Oboya, VIC – 400m/ 4x400m Relay/800m (Justin Rinaldi)
Liam O’Brien, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)
Ellie Pashley, VIC – Marathon (Julian Spence)
Matthew Ramsden, WA – 1500m (Nic Bideau)
Jack Rayner, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)
Kyle Swan, VIC – 20km Walk (Brent Vallance)

Emerging

Jess Bell, ACT – Javelin Throw (Mike Barber)
Zane Branco, QLD – Long Jump (David Reid)
Abbey Caldwell, VIC – 1500m (Gavin Burren)
Declan Carman, VIC – Discus Throw (Scott Martin)
Tomysha Clark, NSW – Long Jump (Renae Clark)
Sam Clifford, TAS – 5000m (Gary Armstrong)
Joshua Cowley, QLD – Long Jump (Stacey Taurima)
Taylah Cruttenden, WA – 100m / 4x100m (Braiden Clarke)
Lianna Davidson, NSW – Javelin Throw (Angus McEntyre)
Corey Dickson, VIS – 20km Walk (Donna Dickson)
Jack Downey, SA – Pole Vault (Kym Simons)
Liam Gilbert, QLD – Combined Events (Brendan Peeters)
Aiden Harvey, VIC – Shot Put / Discus Throw (Scott Martin)
Reece Holder, QLD – 4x400m Relay (Sharon Dale)
Neil Janse van Rensberg, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)
Jack Lunn, VIC – 800m / 1500m (Stephen Fabris)
Howard McDonald, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)
Annie McGuire, QLD – Long Jump – (Gary Bourne)
Mackenzie Mielczarek – Javelin Throw – (Steve Cain)
Oscar Miers, QLD – High Jump (Gary Bourne)
Connor Murphy, NSW – Triple Jump (Andrew Murphy)
Tomas Palfrey, ACT – 1500m (Lee Bobbin)
Monique Quirk, NSW – 4x100m Relay / 100m (Mark Ladbrook)
Alexandra Roberts, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)
Ky Robinson, O/S – 3000m Steeplechase (Ricardo Santos)
Olivia Sandery, SA – 20km Walk (Bob Cruise)
Erin Shaw, NSW – High Jump (Jack McArdle)
Keely Small, ACT – 800m / 1500m (Philo Saunders)
Jude Thomas, QLD – 5000m (Peter Reeves)
Carley Thomas, O/S – 800m (Maurica Powell)
Will Thompson, VIC – Walks (Brent Vallance)
Luke Young, NSW – 800m / 1500m (Luke Young)

Medical
Elyssia Kenshole, VIC – Pole Vault (Bill Georgantis)

Representative Stream:

Representative
Isobel Batt-Doyle, SA – 5000m (Riley Cocks)
Jenny Blundell, NSW – 5000m (James Fitzgerald)
Ben Buckingham, VIS – 3000m Steeplechase (Nic Bideau)
Sarah Carli, NSW – 400m Hurdles / 4x400m Relay (Melissa Smith)
Amy Cashin, O/S – 3000m Steeplechase (Sean Cleary)
Matthew Clarke, SA – 3000m Steeplechase (Adam Didyk)
Rose Davies, NSW – 10000m (Scott Westcott)
Chris Douglas, O/S – 400m Hurdles
Cara Feain-Ryan, QLD – 3000m Steeplechase (Ben Norton)
Brenton Foster, QLD – High Jump (Alex Stewart)
Henry Frayne, QLD – Long Jump (Gary Bourne)
Taryn Gollshewsky, QLD – Discus (Les Kuorikoski)
Daniel Golubovic, QLD – Decathlon (Eric Brown)
Georgia Griffith, VIC – 1500m (Stephen Ellinghaus)
Nicholas Hough, NSW – 110m Hurdles (Anthony Benn)
Alexandra Hulley, NSW – Hammer Throw (Karyne DiMarco / Bre Clement)
Charlie Hunter, O/S – 800m (Ben Thomas)
Hannah Jones, QLD – 100m Hurdles (Sally Pearson)
Morgan McDonald, O/S – 5000m (Dathan Ritzenhein)
Chris Mitrevski, VIC – Long Jump (John Boas)
Elizaveta Parnova, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)
Jeffrey Riseley, VIC – 800m (Justin Rinaldi)
Brett Robinson, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)
Steven Solomon, NSW – 4x400m Relay (Penny Gillies)
Jessica Stenson, SA – Marathon (Adam Didyk)
Edward Trippas, O/S – 3000m Steeplechase (Jason Vigilante)
Lisa Weightman, VIC – Marathon (Dick Telford)
Eloise Wellings, NSW – Marathon (Nic Bideau)
Georgia Winkcup, NSW – 3000m Steeplechase (Ben Liddy)

Relay
Jake Doran, QLD – 4x100m Relay (Paul DiBella)
Jack Hale, TAS – 4x100m Relay (Adam Larcom)
Jake Penny, VIC – 4x100m Relay (Mandi Cole)
Will Roberts, NSW – 4x100m Relay (Fred Martin)
Alex Beck, QLD – 4x400m Relay (Mark Ladbrook)
Jacinta Beecher, QLD – 4x100m Relay (Gary Bourne)
Bree Masters, QLD – 4x100m Relay (Ryan Hoffman)
Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw, NSW – 4x400m Relay (Peter Fortune)

Medical
Naa Anang, QLD –4x100m Relay (Gary Bourne)
John Gikas, NSW – 4x100m Relay (Penny Gillies)

National Athlete Support Structure – Para-athletes:

Medal Stream:

Gold:

Madison de Rozario, NSW – 800m – Marathon T53 (Louise Sauvage)
Vanessa Low, ACT – Long Jump T61
James Turner, ACT – 100m / 400m T36 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Podium:

Corey Anderson, QLD – Javelin Throw F38 (Des Davis)
Michal Burian, VIC – Javelin Throw F44 (Nick Baltas)
Jaryd Clifford, VIC – 1500m / 5000m T12 (Philo Saunders)
Sarah Edmiston, WA – Discus Throw F44 (Paul Edmiston)
Isis Holt, QLD – 100m / 200m T35 (Paul Pearce)
Nicholas Hum, VIC – Long Jump T20 (John Boas)
Deon Kenzie, TAS – 1500m T38 (Philo Saunders)
Robyn Lambird, WA – 100m T34 (Blanche Herbert)
Tim Logan, VIC – Guide (Philo Saunders)
Rheed McCracken, NSW – 100m T34 (Andrew Dawes)
Evan O’Hanlon, O/S – 100m T38 (Iryna Dvoskina)
Michael Roeger, ACT – 1500m / Marathon T46 (Philo Saunders)
Maria Strong, VIC – Shot Put F33 (John Eden)

Podium Ready:

Eliza Ault-Connell, ACT – 400m / 800m / Marathon T54 (Fred Periac)
Luke Bailey, NSW – 100m T54 (Andrew Dawes)
Angela Ballard, ACT – 100m / 400m T35 (Fred Periac)
Sam Carter, ACT – 100m T54 (Fred Periac)
Rhiannon Clarke, WA – 100m T38 (Danny Kevan)
Ari Gesini, ACT – Long Jump T38 (Sebastian Kuzminski)
Guy Henly, O/S – Discus Throw F37 (Kim Cousins)
Jake Lappin, ACT – 400m – 5000m T54 (Fred Periac)
Sam McIntosh, VIC – 100m T52 (Fred Periac)
Chad Perris, ACT – 100m T13 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Podium Potential:

Sarah Walsh, ACT – Long Jump T64 (Matt Beckenham)

Pathway Stream:

Developing

Daniel Bounty, QLD – 1500m T38 (Peter Bock)
Tamsin Colley, NSW – 200m T36 (Matt Rawlings)
Alissa Jordaan, ACT – 400m T47 (Sebastian Kuzminski)
Alexandra McKillop, TAS – 100m T36 (Rosemary Coleman)
Jaydon Page, ACT – 100m T47 (Sebastian Kuzminksi)
Sam Rizzo, VIS – 800m and 1500m T54 (Richard Colman)
Samantha Schmidt, QLD – Discus Throw F38 (Ralph Newton)

Emerging

Abby Craswell, QLD – 100m T36 (Andrew Craswell)
Aimee Fisher, NSW – 100m T54 (Andrew Dawes)
Jackson Hamilton, WA – Javelin Throw F13 (Morgan Ward)
Anthony Jordan, VIS – 100m T47 (Matt Oakley)
Mali Lovell, NSW – 100m/200m T36 (Melinda Gainsford-Taylor & Kate Edwards)
Ethan Moos, NSW – 100m T54 (Glenn Lebeau)
Ella Osborne, NSW – 400m T47 (Tim Eschebach)

Representative Stream:

Cam Crombie, ACT – Javelin Throw F38 (Hamish MacDonald)
Christie Dawes, NSW – Marathon T54 (Andrew Dawes)
Matthew Felton, WA – Marathon T46 (Raf Baugh)
Samuel Harding, ACT – 1500m T12 (Philo Saunders)
Todd Hodgetts, VIC – Shot Put F20 (Scott Martin)
Daniel Kirk, SA – Discus Throw F44 (Steve Larsoon)
Rosemary Little, NSW – Shot Put F33 (Breanne Clement and Karyne Di Marco)
Ella Pardy, WA – 100m T38 (Danny Kevan)
Jayden Sawyer, ACT – Javelin

By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 27/10/2021