Steeplechaser added to the Australian Olympic Athletics Team for Tokyo
Published Wed 07 Jul 2021
Steeplechaser Matthew Clarke has been selected for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo by the Australian Olympic Committee.
Clarke came achingly close to securing a Tokyo qualifying time of 8.22.00, clocking 8.22.62 and 8.22.13 runs in June just days before the qualification deadline closed, leaving him just one spot out of the world ranking qualification berths for Tokyo.
A withdrawal this week of a foreign athlete however has rekindled Clarke’s Olympic dream, with the 26-year-old South Australian securing the roll down quota and booking his ticket to Tokyo.
Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team Ian Chesterman welcomed the athletes to the Team.
“Congratulations to Matthew on making the Team for Tokyo and making his Olympic debut,” Mr Chesterman said.
“We are thrilled to have another highly dedicated athlete on the Australian Olympic Team and we know they will represent Australia, their sport, teammates and families with distinction."
Today’s announcement takes the number of athletes selected for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo to 474.
Clarke’s inclusion further adds to Australia’s biggest ever Athletics team for an overseas Olympics, bringing the squad to 64.
“It’s so surreal to not only be selected but for it to have happened the way it did,” Clarke said.
“I woke up this morning and asked my girlfriend if the selection was real or a dream. I couldn’t comprehend it, but it is a real dream come true to be going to the Olympics.”
“I came so close to the automatic qualifier in the last few days before the qualification deadline. The top 45 are offered spots to compete at the Olympics, and after the roll down I was ranked number 46 which was heartbreaking. It’s a one in a thousand chance that someone would pull out.
“When I saw my phone ringing, I had a butterfly feeling inside my stomach but when Athletics Australia told me that they had some good news, I started crying.”
Clarke will travel to Cairns for the Australian Olympic Athletics Team staging camp this Saturday.
| Name | Event | Coach | Olympic Games | Suburb | State | Home Club | Little Athletics Centre |
| Matthew Clarke | 3000m Steeplechase | Adam Didyk | Debut | North Adelaide | SA | LaTrobe University | Box Hill Little Athletics Centre |
By the Australian Olympic Committee
Posted: 7/7/2021
