Athletics Australia Finalizes IPC World Champ Squad
A team of 40 para-athletes has this week been confirmed by the Athletics Australia Selectors to lead the green and gold charge at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Lyon, France next month.
Set to join the four London 2012 Paralympic gold medallists who were preselected earlier in the domestic season and the 19 named at the conclusion of the Qantas Australian Athletics Championships, the 17 new confirmed starters were considered at the Final Selectors Meeting in accordance with the Selection Policy.
WAIS athletes and dual Paralympians Brad Scott and Madison de Rozario are included in the Australian tea set to travel.
“Following the release of quota spots for the Australian team by the International Paralympic Committee, the Athletics Australia Selectors are very pleased to announce this final instalment of athletes to compete at the IPC Athletics World Championships,”DionRussell, Athletics Australia Chairman of Selectors, said.
“The team now stands at 40, a very healthy size, and in an outstanding result all athletes that achieved at least one AA ‘B’ Qualifier have been selected. This decision to select all eligible athletes recognizes the Selection Philosophy to select the largest possible team to represent Australia and we are happy that this has been deliverable.”
“This is a great team, it is the biggest and best that we could have selected and it will be very competitive when it takes to the field of play to compete,”Andrew Faichney, Australian Team Leader and Athletics Australia’s Paralympic Preparation Program Manager, said.
“The squad selected includes all four gold medallists from the London 2012 Paralympic Games, four reigning world champions from Christchurch two years ago and multiple Oceania or world record holders. Additionally, it includes nine debutants, which is a positive result as we look ahead to the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio.”
The athletics section of the Australian team at the 2012 London Paralympic Games won 27 medals – five gold, nine silver and 13 bronze – across the ten days of competition in the Paralympic stadium. At the 2011 IPC Athletics World Championships in Christchurch (NZL), the Australian team won eight gold, eight silver and seven bronze medals.
The 6th IPC Athletics World Championships will be held on July 19-28 in Lyon. The Australian team will depart Australia for a team camp in Nottwil (SUI) on July 7, before arriving in the host city on July 15. It is the second time France has played host to the event after Lille welcomed the world in 2002.
– Athletics Australia