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 second largest ever behind Sydney 2000, and the largest sent away to a Games.
The team includes a contingent of 28 Victorians set to showcase their exceptional talents on the biggest stage – many of whom will debut in Paris.
Coming off a hamstring injury which put selection in jeopardy, Celeste Mucci is set to make her Olympic debut in the 100m Hurdles.
“I’m so honoured and excited to represent Australia at my first Olympics. It’s been a tough year, but it’s all been worth it. My goal for the games is to gain a personal best in the hurdles”.
A member of the 4x100m team that secured 5th place in the World Athletics Relay Championships in May, sprinter Ebony Lane is set for her debut in the same event in Paris, attributing hard work, persistence and self-belief as the ingredients to her success.
“A quote I’ve definitely used throughout my season this year has been: it’s not always down to the best athlete, it’s the ones that never give up, always put in the work and want it so badly that they will eventually get it.”
“My goal for the games is to embrace it, create amazing memories and remind myself that this is where I belong – on the track wearing the green and gold.”
Australians will contest 39 of the 48 Athletics events in Paris, again second only in our Olympic history to the Sydney 2000 home squad.
Sprinter Mia Gross will make her Olympic debut in the 200m, and with a new PB under the belt in June, she will look to make her mark on the event in Paris.
“It’s very hard to describe all the emotions right now but I’ve worked so hard and been through so much that when I got the call to say I’ve made it; I just burst into tears of happiness!”
“I want to fully soak in everything that an Olympic Games has to offer but at the same time stay focused and present on trying to put together the best possible 200m race of my life! I’m going there in the best shape and I really want to race the fastest I ever have to make myself, my coach, my family & Australia really proud.”
Athletes will come together for a staging camp in Montpellier later this month, before heading onto Paris, with the athletics program kicking off on the 1st of August. Athletics Victoria would like to wish athletes all the best in their final preparations and for Paris 2024 – we look forward to cheering them on next month. Congratulations, and go VIC!
Women:
200m: Mia Gross (VIC, John Nicolosi)
800m: Claudia Hollingsworth (VIC, Craig Mottram), Abbey Caldwell (VIC, Gavin Burren), Catriona Bisset (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams)
1500m: Georgia Griffith (VIC, Nic Bideau), Linden Hall (VIC, Ned Brophy-Williams)
5000m: Lauren Ryan (VIC, Lara Rogers)
10,000m: Lauren Ryan (VIC, Lara Rogers)
Marathon: Sinead Diver (VIC, Nic Bideau)
100m Hurdles: Celeste Mucci (VIC, Darren Clark)
3000m Steeplechase: Amy Cashin (VIC, Sean Cleary)
20km Racewalk: Rebecca Henderson (VIC, Simon Baker), Jemima Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance)
Long Jump: Brooke Buschkuehl (VIC, Russell Stratton)
Hammer Throw: Stephanie Ratcliffe (VIC, Don Babbitt)
Javelin Throw: Kathryn Mitchell (VIC, Uwe Hohn)
4x100m Relay: Ebony Lane (VIC, Christopher Dale)
Marathon Racewalk Relay: Jemima Montag (VIC, Brent Vallance), Rebecca Henderson (VIC, Simon Baker)
Men:
800m: Peter Bol (VIC, Justin Rinaldi), Joseph Deng (VIC, Samuel Sepeng)
1500m: Adam Spencer (VIC, Mick Byrne)
Marathon: Brett Robinson (VIC, Nic Bideau), Liam Adams (VIC, Ken Hall)
110m Hurdles: Tayleb Willis (VIC, Kyle Vander-Kuyp and Sam Leslie)
3000m Steeplechase: Ben Buckingham (VIC, Craig Mottram)
20km Racewalk: Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance), Kyle Swan (VIC, Jared Tallent)
High Jump: Yual Reath (VIC, Paul Cleary), Joel Baden (VIC, Sandro Bisetto)
Long Jump: Christopher Mitrevski (VIC, Alex Stewart)
Marathon Racewalk Relay: Rhydian Cowley (VIC, Brent Vallance), Kyle Swan (VIC, Jared Tallent), Will Thompson* (VIC, Brent Vallance)
*Will Thompson (Marathon Race Walk Mixed Relay) has been named as a travelling reserve (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.