Biggest Australian Athletics Team for Overseas Olympics Finalised

The Australian Olympic Committee has announced the final team selection for the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo, with 36 athletes selected for the Australian Olympic Athletics Team for Tokyo, joining 27 previously announced Olympians to complete the 63-strong Athletics squad.

 

Only Sydney 2000 (87) and Melbourne 1956 (75) have had bigger Australian Olympic Athletics teams.

 

The 36 athletes announced today includes Jeff

Riseley making his fourth Olympics, Kathryn Mitchell, Dave McNeill and Henry Frayne returning for their third Games, 10 athletes returning for their second Games and 22 Olympic debutants. Full squad list of 63 Athletics representatives below

 

Riseley joins previously selected Tokyo 2020 teammates Dani Stevens and Lisa Weightman in equalling the most Olympics by Australian Athletics representatives, with seven other athletes including marathon legends Robert de Castella and Lisa Ondieki.

 

FULL ATHLETE BIOS AVAILABLE HERE

 

Today’s announcement finalises the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo, taking the number of athletes selected to 473. A final team announcement and media conference will be held on Monday 5 July, with full details to come tomorrow.

 

Catch all the latest team info, stats and team bios at www.olympics.com.au/games/tokyo-2020/team/

 

Ian Chesterman, Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team, congratulated the athletes on today’s selection.

“With athletes facing so many obstacles and challenging to qualification and competition throughout this Olympic cycle, it is fantastic to send our biggest ever Athletics team to an away Games,” Mr Chesterman said.

“To have so many athletes qualify is a great reflection of their commitment and persistence. It also speaks volumes of the tremendous support from their coaches, families, friends and Athletics Australia. The depth and talent we have in Australian athletics is exciting.

 

“With 63 athletes this is the biggest section of the Team and they will bring great energy to the group in the second week of the Games.

“Well done to all the athletes announced today, I look forward to seeing you in Tokyo in just a few short weeks.”

 

Rio Olympian Annaliese Rubie-Renshaw will compete in the 4x400m relay in Tokyo.

 

“It hasn't sunk in that I've finally been selected; it feels surreal” Rubie-Renshaw said. “It's been a long wait, but it's exciting too. I feel the longer you wait, the more special it feels to be selected onto a team.

 

“Before Rio, I had the benefit of being selected early on, so it's been really different this time around. I'm doing my final preparation at home, and when the Games start we'll still be in Australia.

 

“I haven't competed on an Australian team since 2018 due to a few injuries, so I'm most looking forward to walking into the stadium, whether there is a crowd or there is no crowd, because after this time away, it will be really special to wear the green and gold again.

 

“Being in a relay team is always a special experience, coming from an individual sport. You're part of a team - not just part of the Australian Olympic Team, but the relay team and you’re sharing such a special moment with others. I'm looking forward to seeing what's possible after doing so well in Rio.”

 

Discus thrower Matt Denny returns for his second Olympics, securing his selection with a personal best throw.

 

“I was so happy to throw a PB so close to Tokyo especially considering we have a lot of freshening up to do to get into peak form, so I’m very excited about the form I potentially could get into,” Denny said.

 

“I’m really just looking forward to finally competing again. It’s been a long time between drinks when it comes to competing internationally, so I’m hanging out to get back in the ring. The past few years have had a lot of learning curves, but it’s nice to have learnt them ahead of Tokyo.”

 

Athletics Australia CEO Peter Bromley welcomed today’s finalisation of the team for Tokyo.

 

“With just weeks to go until the Tokyo Games finally begin, it’s incredibly exciting to see 36 more athletes announced to the Australian Olympic Athletics Team,” Bromley said.

 

“What’s more exciting is the real mix of experience we have in this fourth wave selected. We have 14 Olympians joining the team once again, including Jeff Riseley who will add Olympics number four to his list of achievements, and 22 debutants, all of whom have made a lasting impression on the Australian athletics community, including our youngest athlete on the team, 18-year-old Ellie Beer. This highlights to me that the future of athletics in our country is strong and bright.”

“It’s not only these athletes we must congratulate today. Each of them has a great support system around them, including coaches, support staff and their families and friends who have all buoyed them up to make this happen.

 

“We have a big few weeks ahead as our team now goes into camp to put the finishing touches on their final preparations, but I’m looking forward to seeing all 63 Australian track and field representatives put their work from over the last five years into action.”

Most Australian based Athletics team members will join a pre-Olympics training camp in Cairns from 10 July – additional media opportunities to be coordinated by Sascha Ryner at Athletics Australia.

 

There are appeals underway by two non-nominated athletes. That appeals process is being followed.

 

Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo – Athletics (Announced today)

Name	Event/s	Age	Olympics	Suburb	State	Postcode
Hana Basic	100m	25	Debut	Box Hill South	VIC	3128
Izzy Batt-Doyle	5000m	25	Debut	Leabrook	SA	5068
Alex Beck	400m	29	Debut	Robina	QLD	4226
Ellie Beer	4x400m Relay	18	Debut	Palm Beach	QLD	4221
Angeline Blackburn	4x400m Relay	31	Debut	Garran	ACT	2605
Jenny Blundell	5000m	27	2nd (2016)	Castle Hill	NSW	2154
Peter Bol	800m	27	2nd (2016)	Niddrie	VIC	3042
Ben Buckingham	3000m Steeplechase	29	Debut	Richmond	VIC	3121
Sarah Carli	400m Hurdles	26	Debut	Wollongong	NSW	2500
Amy Cashin	3000m Steeplechase	26	Debut	Werribee	VIC	3030
Rose Davies	5000m	21	Debut	Merewether	NSW	2991
Matthew Denny	Discus Throw	25	2nd (2016)	Allora	QLD	4362
Henry Frayne	Long Jump	31	3rd (2012,2016)	Morningside	QLD	4170
Georgia Griffith	1500m	24	Debut	Mont Albert	VIC	3127
Katie Hayward	20km Walk	20	Debut	Gold Coast	QLD	4221
Bec Henderson	20km Walk	19	Debut	Berwick	VIC	3806
Ollie Hoare	1500m	24	Debut	Caringbah	NSW	2229
Nick Hough	110m Hurdles	27	Debut	Baulkham Hills	NSW	2153
Kendra Hubbard	4x400m relay	31	Debut	Kew	VIC	3101
Charlie Hunter	800m	24	Debut	North Gosford	NSW	2250
Mackenzie Little	Javelin Throw	24	Debut	Roseville	NSW	2069
Morgan McDonald	5000m	25	Debut	Randwick	NSW	2031
Dave McNeill	5000m	34	3rd (2012,2016)	Thornbury	VIC	3071
Kathryn Mitchell	Javelin Throw	38	3rd (2012, 2016)	Lucas	VIC	3350
Morgan Mitchell	800m	26	2nd (2016)	Werribee	VIC	3030
Elizaveta Parnova	Pole Vault	27	2nd (2016)	West Leederville	WA	6007
Eleanor Patterson	High Jump	25	2nd (2016)	Ashfield	NSW	2131
Jeffrey Riseley	800m	34	4th (2008, 2012, 2016)	Elwood	VIC	3184
Anneliese Rubie-Renshaw	4x400m relay	29	2nd (2016)	Cremorne	NSW	2090
Steven Solomon	400m	28	2nd (2012)	Vaucluse	NSW	2030
Brandon Starc	High Jump	27	2nd (2016)	Collaroy Plateau	NSW	2097
Kyle Swan	20km Walk	22	Debut