National Athlete Support Structure Announced

152 of Australia’s most promising track and field athletes have been awarded National Athlete Support Structure (NASS) membership by Athletics Australia.

NASS is a high performance system that supports Australian athletes who have demonstrated the greatest potential to achieve Athletics Australia’s and the Australian Institute of Sport’s targets at the Olympic Games, Paralympic Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games. 

103 able-bodied athletes, including 2019 World Champion Kelsey-Lee Barber, and 49 Para-athletes, including two-time 2019 World Champions Jimmy Turner and Jaryd Clifford, have been awarded membership.

This is 22 more athletes than the previous six months not only due to the strength of Athletics Australia’s High Performance program, but the addition of the new Representative tier which aims to support athletes expected to qualify for Tokyo.

From this number, nine able-bodied athletes have stepped up a level based on greater results, while 30 have been added to the structure. In the Para-athletics program, 33 athletes have upgraded or maintained their support, while 11 new athletes have earned membership.

“Despite the hardships faced by all of our athletes this year, we’ve still seen some phenomenal performances and results from our track and field athletes, and it’s clear so many of them are going from strength to strength,” General Manager of High Performance, Andrew Faichney said.

“Our NASS system is a tiered system that incentivises athletes and ensures they are aware of their need to keep improving, and on the basis of such strong results, we have decided to elevate the number of athletes within the structure. I am confident this will assist in our efforts to deliver results at the Tokyo Games next year, as well as the Commonwealth Games and World Championships in 2022.

“The expansion of the program to include the new representative stream is also a fantastic initiative that will enable support for those athletes who are likely to represent Australia at the upcoming Benchmark Events. The aim of this part of the program is to further strengthen the quality of Australian teams that compete on the world stage.

“Beyond that, we are also already putting plans in place for Paris 2024, and as such, we have offered membership to the rising stars of our sport that have shown us potential and promise.

“We’re very much looking forward to seeing our athletes rise to the occasion with their results improving as we enter our domestic season and an Olympic and Paralympic year.”

More information about the NASS policy and structure can be found here. 

National Athlete Support Structure – Able-bodied athletes:

Medal:

Gold:

Kelsey-Lee Barber, ACT – Javelin Throw (Mike Barber)

Podium:

Dani Stevens, QLD – Discus Throw (Denis Knowles)

Podium Ready:

Dane Bird-Smith, QLD – 20km Walk (David Smith)

Matthew Denny, QLD – Discus Throw (Ben Thomson)

Henry Frayne, QLD – Long Jump (Gary Bourne)

Kurtis Marschall, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)

Kathryn Mitchell, VIC – Javelin Throw (Uwe Hohn)

Eleanor Patterson, NSW – High Jump (Alex Stewart)

Brandon Starc, NSW – High Jump (Alex Stewart)

Brooke Stratton, VIC – Long Jump (Russell Stratton)

Podium Potential:

Catriona Bisset, VIC – 800m (Peter Fortune)

Rohan Browning, NSW – 4 x 100m Relay  (Andrew Murphy)

Rhydian Cowley, VIC – 50km Walk (Brent Vallance)

Sinead Diver, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)

Jake Doran, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Paul di Bella)

Cedric Dubler, QLD – Decathlon (Eric Brown)

Genevieve Gregson, QLD -  3000m Steeplechase (Nic Bideau)

Jack Hale, TAS – 4 x 100m Relay (Adam Larcom)

Katie Hayward, QLD – 20km Walk (Steve Langley)

Jessica Hull, O/S  – 1500m (Pete Julian)

Nina Kennedy, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)

Nicola McDermott, NSW – High Jump (Matt Horsnell)

Stewart McSweyn, TAS – 5000m and 10,000m (Nic Bideau)

Ashley Moloney, QLD – Decathlon (Eric Brown)

Jemima Montag, VIC – 20km Walk (Brent Vallance)

Darcy Roper, VIC – Long Jump (John Boas)

Pathways:

Developing:

Angus Armstrong, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)

Ellie Beer, QLD – 4 x 400m Relay  (Brett Robinson)

Declan Carruthers, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)

Ella Connolly, QLD – 4 x 400m Relay (Gary Patterson)

Joseph Deng, VIC – 800m (Justin Rinaldi)

Georgia Griffith, VIC – 1500m (Stephen Ellinghaus)

Oli Hoare, O/S – 1500m (Mick Byrne)

Mackenzie Little, NSW – Javelin Throw (Mike Barber)

Nash Lowis, QLD – Javelin Throw (Leslye Muller)

Cameron McEntyre, NSW – Javelin Throw (Angus McEntyre)

Celeste Mucci, VIC – 100m Hurdles and 4 x 100m Relay  (Darren Clark)

Bendere Oboya, NSW – 400m and 4 x 400m Relay  (John Quinn)

Liam O’Brien, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)

Gabriella O’Grady, NSW – 4 x 400m Relay  (Penny Gillies)

Ellie Pashley, VIC – Marathon (Julian Spence)

Matthew Ramsden, WA – 1500m (Nic Bideau)

Jack Rayner, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)

Brett Robinson, VIC – Marathon (Nic Bideau)

Declan Tingay, WA – 20km Walk (Steven Tingay)

Emerging:

Jess Bell, ACT – Javelin Throw (Mike Barber)

Zane Branco, QLD – Long Jump (Gary Bourne)

Declan Carman, VIC – Discus Throw (Scott Martin)

Sam Clifford, TAS – 5000m (Gary Armstrong)

Joshua Cowley, QLD – Long Jump (Stacey Taurima)

Lianna Davidson, NSW – Javelin Throw (Angus McEntyre)

Georgia Hansen, VIC – 1500m (Stephen Ellinghaus)

Aiden Harvey, VIC – Shot Put and Discus Throw (Scott Martin)

Rebecca Henderson, VIC – 10km Walk (Simon Baker)

Reece Holder, QLD – 4 x 400m Relay  (Sharon Dale)

Lara Illevski, WA – Javelin Throw (Grant Ward)

Alexander Kolesnikoff, NSW – Shot Put and Discus Throw (David Bruce)

Jack Lunn, VIC – 800m and 1500m (Stephen Fabris)

Howard McDonald, QLD – Javelin Throw (Ben Thomson)

Oscar Miers, QLD – High Jump (Gary Bourne)

Kyle Swan, VIC – 20km Walk (Brent Vallance)

Luke Young, NSW – 800m and 1500m (Jason Maxwell)

Representative:

Anas Abu-Ganaba, NSW – 4 x 100m Relay  (Renee Parkinson)

Brianna Beahan, WA – 100m Hurdles (Ryan Purcell)

Alex Beck, QLD – 4 x 400m Relay  (Mark Ladbrook)

Jacinta Beecher, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Gary Bourne)

Rebecca Bennett, NSW – 4 x 400m Relay  (Mike Hurst)

Damien Birkinhead, VIC – Shot Put (Scott Martin)

Lauren Boden, ACT – 400m Hurdles (Matt Beckenham)

Peter Bol, VIC – 800m (Justin Rinaldi)

Ben Buckingham, VIC – 3000m Steeplechase (Nick Bowden)

Paige Campbell, NSW – 3000m Steeplechase (Philo Saunders)

Sarah Carli, NSW – 400m Hurdles (Melissa Logan)

Milly Clark, TAS – Marathon (Philo Saunders)

Liz Clay, QLD – 100m Hurdles (Sharon Hannan)

Riley Day, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Paul Pearce)

John Gikas, NSW – 4 x 100m Relay (Penny Gillies)

Ryan Gregson, QLD – 1500m (Nic Bideau)

Tyler Gunn, NSW – 4 x 400m Relay  (Mick Zisti)

Alex Hartmann, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Travis Venema)

Nick Hough, NSW – 110m Hurdles (Anthony Benn)

Alex Hulley, NSW – Hammer Throw (Karyne Di Marco)

Michelle Jenneke, QLD – 100m Hurdles (Gary Bourne)

Sara Klein, NSW – 400m Hurdles (Lindsay Watson)

Bree Masters, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Ryan Hoffman)

Morgan McDonald, O/S – 5000m (Mick Byrne)

Morgan Mitchell, VIC – 800m (Liz Mathews)

Chris Mitrevski, VIC – Long Jump (John Boas)

Nana Owusu-Afriyie, VIC – 4 x 100m Relay  (Tony Marsh)

Liz Parnova, WA – Pole Vault (Paul Burgess)

Matthew Rizzo, QLD – 4 x 100m Relay  (Ryan Hoffman)

Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw, NSW – 4 x 400m Relay  (Peter Fortune)

Henry Smith, VIC – Long Jump (John Boas)

Steven Solomon, NSW – 4 x 400m Relay  (Penny Gillies)

Jess Stenson, SA – Marathon (Adam Didyk)

Jared Talent, SA – 50km Walk (Adam Didyk)

Patrick Tiernan, O/S  – 10,000m (Marcus O’Sullivan)

Lisa Weightman, VIC – Marathon (Dick Telford)

Georgia Winkcup, NSW - 3000m Steeplechase (Ben Liddy)

National Athlete Support Structure – Para-athletes: 

Medal

Gold

Vanessa Low, ACT – Long Jump T61 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Scott Reardon, ACT – 100m T63 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Michael Roeger, ACT – 1500m T46 and Marathon T46 (Philo Saunders)

James Turner, ACT – 100m T36 and 400m T36 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Madison de Rozario, NSW – 800m – MarathonT53 (Louise Sauvage)

Corey Anderson, QLD – Javelin Throw F38 (Des Davis)

Jaryd Clifford, VIC – 1500m T12 and 5000m T12 (Philo Saunders)

Philo Saunders, ACT – Guide to Jaryd Clifford

Tim Logan, VIC – Guide to Jaryd Clifford

Podium:

Eliza Ault Connell, NSW – 400m T54, 800m T54, Marathon T54 (Fred Periac)

Chad Perris, ACT – 100m T13 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Rheed McCracken, NSW – 100m T34 (Andrew Dawes)

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

Guy Henly, NSW – Discus Throw F37 (Kim Cousins)

Evan O’Hanlon, NSW – 100m T38 (Iryna Dvoskina)

Deon Kenzie, ACT – 1500m T38 (Philo Saunders)

Isis Holt, QLD – 100m T35 and 200m T35 (Paul Pearce)

Claire Keefer, VIC – Shot Put F41 (John Eden)

Rhiannon Clarke, WA – 100m T38 (Danny Kevan)

Sarah Edmiston, WA – Discus Throw F44 (Paul Edmiston)

Podium Ready:

Angela Ballard, ACT – 100m T53 and 400m T53 (Fred Periac)

Sam Carter, ACT – 100m T54 (Fred Periac)

Ari Gesini, ACT – Long Jump T38 (Sebastian Kuzminski)

Jake Lappin, ACT – 400m T54 – 5000m T54 (Fred Periac)

Jayden Sawyer, ACT – Javelin Throw F38 (Mike Barber)

Luke Bailey, NSW – 100m T54 (Andrew Dawes)

Michal Burian, VIC – Javelin F44 (Nick Baltas)

Nicholas Hum, VIC – Long Jump T20 (John Boas)

Sam McIntosh, VIC – 100m T52 (Fred Periac)

Maria Strong, VIC – Shot Put F33 (John Eden)

Podium Potential:

Robyn Lambird, WA – 100m T34 (Blanche Herbert)

Pathways:

Developing:

Alissa Jordaan, ACT – 400m T47 (Sebastian Kuzminski)

Jaydon Page, ACT – 100m T47 (Sebastian Kuzminski)

Tamsin Colley, NSW – 200m T36 (Matt Rawlings)

Daniel Bounty, QLD – 1500m T38 (Peter Bock)

Samantha Schmidt, QLD – Discus Throw F38 (Ralph Newton)

Alexander McKillop, TAS – 100m T36. (Rosemary Coleman)

Sam Rizzo, VIC – 800m T54 and 1500m T54 (Richard Colman)

Emerging:

Aimee Fisher, NSW – 100m T54 (Andrew Dawes)

Ethan Moos, NSW – 100m T54 (Louise Sauvage)

Jackson Hamilton, WA – Javelin Throw F13 (Morgan Ward)

Representative:

Cameron Crombie, ACT – Javelin Throw F38 (Hamish MacDonald)

Samuel Harding, ACT – 1500m T12 (Philo Saunders)

Christie Dawes, NSW – Marathon T54 (Andrew Dawes)

Torita Blake, QLD – 400m T38 (Wayne Leaver)

Daniel Kirk, SA – Discus Throw F44 (Steve Larsson)

Todd Hodgetts, VIC – Shot Put F20 (Scott Martin)

Matthew Felton, WA – Marathon T46 (Raf Baugh)

Ella Pardy, WA – 100m T38 (Danny Kevan)

Posted: 27/11/2020