55 Australian track and field athletes added to Olympic team for Paris

The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) has announced the selection of an additional 55 track and field athletes to the Australian Olympic Team in Paris, adding to the 20 selected earlier this year for an overall 75-member Athletics squad.

The 75-strong Athletics team is our second largest ever behind Sydney 2000 and largest sent away to a Games.

Australians will contest 39 of the 48 Athletics events in Paris, again second only in our Olympic history to the Sydney 2000 home squad.

The 55 announced today includes 30 debutants, 19 returning for their second Games, five at their third Games and javelin athlete Kathryn Mitchell will become the seventh Australian woman to compete at four Olympics in Athletics.

The total 75-member Athletics squad is comprised of two athletes competing at their fourth Games, 13 at their third, 26 returning for a second Games and 34 athletes making their Olympic debut.

Today's announced athletes include Tokyo Olympic medallists Ash Moloney and Kelsey Barber, World Champion Nina Kennedy and World Championships medallists Kurtis Marschall and Mackenzie Little.

Australia will contest the heptathlon for the first time since Beijing 2008 with Camryn Newton-Smith and Tori West, while Connor Murphy will make his Olympic debut in men’s triple jump, following in the footsteps of father and coach Andrew who contested the event at three Games.

The Australian squad includes both a men’s and women’s 4x100m relay squad – the first time both have been part of an Australian Olympic Team together since Sydney 2000.

Today’s selection takes the total Australian Olympic Team size to a final tally of 460.

Australian Olympic team Chef de Mission Anna Meares celebrated the final athletes selected for the Australian Olympic Team.

“I am thrilled to announce the final 55 athletes for the Athletics team for Paris,” she said. “This is a talented squad, with the total 75-strong team the second biggest Australian Olympic Athletics squad in our history.

“This highlights the great depth nurtured across the country and I want to pay tribute to the entire team at Athletics Australia for delivering a high-performance program that is achieving outstanding results.

“The Athletics team is the largest of any sport and they will contribute greatly to the positive environment of the broader Australian Olympic Team.

“Today’s announcement finalises our Australian Olympic Team at 460 athletes – I am so excited for Australians to see this Team represent them with pride and determination in under three weeks’ time.”

2023 World Champion pole vaulter Nina Kennedy said the lead-in to Paris is completely different to Tokyo 2020.

“I’m a completely different athlete, meaning the goals and expectations are also completely different,” she said. “I’m feeling really good about my preparation and I’m genuinely excited for the competition.

“The women’s pole vault field is incredible. An Olympic year is so special because everyone brings their very best. Gold is the goal, however it’s important to differentiate the different between goals and expectations. Goals are uncontrollable, but what I can control are the expectations I have of myself and my team.

“Of course I’ve visualised winning gold. The mental aspect of training is just as important as the physically. I have a very clear definition of what success means to me, and that is being able to walk away from the Olympic final knowing I’ve done everything I possibly could have. If that wins a gold medal, amazing, and if it doesn’t then I can walk away with no regrets.”

Sprinter Torrie Lewis will make her Olympic debut in the 200m and 4x100m relay, after a stunning year which included winning a Diamond League event and helping the women’s 4x100m qualify for Paris.

“After having such an amazing year getting the official selection is just a relief,” the 19-year-old said. “I’ve always thought I could make an individual event, but actually getting the call is so exciting.

“Ever since watching the London 2012 Games it’s been something I’ve wanted to do, originally for gymnastics but now for running. After Tokyo is when I really started having Paris in my sights.

“I feel very proud that I’m able to represent Australia and have the country backing me, it makes me even more motivated to run better.”

Decathlete Ash Moloney won a memorable bronze medal in Tokyo and has overcome injury challenges to secure his second Olympic appearance.

“Relief is definitely the word that comes to mind, considering the shape I’ve been in with injuries over the last couple of years,” he said. “I wanted to prove to myself I could get back up to the standard I was at pre-Tokyo and I have done that. I’m in shape and ready to compete at the Olympics once again.

“I’ve had to adapt and evolve as an athlete. I’m still young but before when I was younger, I went head on in every competition, but my body takes a little longer to recover these days. I’ve had to be smart and there is significantly more strategy to my competition and training and that has helped me find my way back to this point.

“Last time I went to the Olympics, my aim wasn’t to win a medal, it was to do as well as I could and be competitive. The goal remains the same this time around and if that puts me in a position where I can compete for a medal, I will go for it.”

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley celebrated the finalisation of the Athletics squad for Paris

“It is an incredibly proud moment to announce any Australian team, but to see one of Australia’s largest and strongest teams heading to the Olympics is something else,” he said.

“With six athletes who medalled at last year’s World Athletics Championships and three medallists from the Tokyo Olympic Games, our team exemplifies the strength and depth of Australian athletics. We’re excited to see our athletes test their skills against the best in the world at the pinnacle event.”

Lauren Ryan, who was selected in April for the 10000m event, has also had the 5000m event added to her programme in Paris.

Women:

100m: Ella Connolly (NSW, Andrew Murphy), Bree Masters (QLD, Ryan Hoffman)
200m: Torrie Lewis (QLD, Andrew Iselin), Mia Gross (VIC, John Nicolosi)
400m: Ellie Beer (QLD, Brett Robinson)
800m: Claudia Hollingsworth (VIC, Craig Mottram), Abbey Caldwell (VIC, Gavin Burren), Catriona Bisset (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams)
1500m: Jessica Hull (NSW, Simon Hull), Georgia Griffith (VIC, Nic Bideau), Linden Hall (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams)
5000m: Rose Davies (NSW, Scott Westcott), Isobel Batt-Doyle (SA, Nic Bideau), Lauren Ryan (VIC, Lara Rogers)
10,000m: Ryan
Marathon: Sinead Diver (VIC, Nic Bideau), Genevieve Gregson (QLD, Nic Bideau), Jessica Stenson (SA, Adam Didyk)
100m Hurdles: Michelle Jenneke (QLD, Bronwyn Thompson), Liz Clay (QLD, David Reid and Sharon Hannan), Celeste Mucci (VIC, Darren Clark)
400m Hurdles: Sarah Carli (NSW, Melissa Smith), Alanah Yukich (WA, Rose Monday)
3000m Steeplechase: Amy Cashin (VIC, Sean Cleary), Cara Feain-Ryan (QLD, Ben Norton)
20km Racewalk: Rebecca Henderson (VIC, Simon Baker), Jemima Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance), Olivia Sandery (SA, Jared Tallent)
High Jump: Nicola Olyslagers (NSW, Matt Horsnell), Eleanor Patterson (NSW,  Alex Stewart)
Pole Vault: Nina Kennedy (WA, Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick)
Long Jump: Brooke Buschkuehl (VIC, Russell Stratton)
Discus Throw: Taryn Gollshewsky (QLD, Les Kuorikoski)
Hammer Throw: Stephanie Ratcliffe (VIC, Don Babbitt)
Javelin Throw: Mackenzie Little (NSW, Angus McEntyre), Kelsey-Lee Barber (QLD, Mike Barber), Kathryn Mitchell (VIC, Uwe Hohn)
Heptathlon: Camryn Newton-Smith (QLD, Ralph Newton), Tori West (QLD, Eric Brown and Sam Leslie)
4x100m Relay: Connolly, Kristie Edwards (QLD, David Reid), Ebony Lane (VIC, Christopher Dale), Masters, Aleksandra Stoilova (NSW, Tevin Hester), Lewis
Marathon Racewalk Relay: Montag, Henderson, Sandery, Allanah Pitcher (NSW, Frank Overton)

Men:

100m: Rohan Browning (NSW, Andrew Murphy)
200m: Calab Law (QLD, Andrew Iselin)
400m: Reece Holder (QLD, Sharon Dale and Chris Dale)
800m: Peter Bol (WA, Justin Rinaldi), Joseph Deng (VIC, Samuel Sepeng), Peyton Craig (QLD, Brandon Mallyon)
1500m: Adam Spencer (VIC, Mick Byrne), Oliver Hoare (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein), Stewart McSweyn (TAS, Nic Bideau)
5000m: Morgan McDonald (NSW, Dathan Ritzenhein), McSweyn
Marathon: Brett Robinson (VIC, Nic Bideau), Patrick Tiernan (QLD, Alistair and Amy Cragg), Liam Adams (VIC, Ken Hall)
110m Hurdles: Tayleb Willis (VIC, Kyle Vander-Kuyp and Sam Leslie)
3000m Steeplechase: Matt Clarke (SA, Adam Didyk), Ben Buckingham (VIC, Craig Mottram)
20km Racewalk: Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance), Kyle Swan (VIC, Jared Tallent), Declan Tingay (WA, Brent Vallance)
High Jump: Yual Reath (VIC, Paul Cleary), Brandon Starc (NSW, Alex Stewart), Joel Baden (VIC, Sandro Bisetto)
Pole Vault: Kurtis Marschall (WA, Paul Burgess and James Fitzpatrick)
Long Jump: Christopher Mitrevski (VIC, Alex Stewart), Liam Adcock (QLD, Andrew Murphy)
Triple Jump: Connor Murphy (NSW, Andrew Murphy)
Discus Throw: Matthew Denny (QLD, Dale Stevenson)
Javelin Throw: Cameron McEntyre (NSW, Angus McEntyre)
Decathlon: Ash Moloney (QLD, Steve Rippon), Daniel Golubovic (QLD, Paul Pearce)
4x100m Relay: Browning, Law, Joshua Azzopardi (NSW, Rob Marks), Jacob Despard (TAS, Rolf Ohman), Sebastian Sultana (NSW, Greg Smith), Lachlan Kennedy (QLD, Andrew Iselin), Christopher Ius* (NSW, Andrew Murphy)
Marathon Racewalk Relay: Cowley, Swan, Tingay, Will Thompson* (VIC, Brent Vallance)

*Allanah Pitcher and Will Thompson (Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay) and Christopher Ius (Men's 4x100m relay) have been named as the travelling reserves (known as Ap athletes under Games accreditation) and will be preparing with their team. The travelling reserves can be selected as a replacement athlete onto the Australian Olympic Team in case of injury or other withdrawal of one of the selected athletes.

By the Australian Olympic Committee
Posted: 8/7/2024