01.09.2006

Beijing build-up begins for Paralympic stars

After a successful pre-departure camp in Townsville and impressive performances in European competitions, the Australian team is ready to take on the world at the IPC Athletics World Championships in Assen, Holland, commencing Saturday.

The championships will feature over 1500 athletes from 72 countries and is the major international event for athletes with a disability before the Beijing Paralympic Games in 2008. The IPC Athletics World Championships are held every four years and provide the perfect build up to the Paralympic Games.

Athletics Australia�s Paralympic program manager and team head coach, Scott Goodman, will lead a 48-member team made up of leading Paralympians including nine-time Paralympic gold medallist Tim Sullivan, wheelchair racer Kurt Fearnley and thrower Hamish MacDonald along with Commonwealth Games gold medallists Lisa McIntosh and Heath Francis.

Goodman said: "These Championships are very important. Not only are we looking for medallists, but also top four placings, as these will determine the size of the squad we can take to Beijing."

"As a result, the team is a very experienced one. However, we have also selected some emerging talent that have great futures. For those athletes, these championships will be a learning ground to better prepare them for the challenge of Beijing in two years time. Most of these emerging athletes have been identified as part of the Australian Paralympic Committee talent search program."

The 11-strong wheelchair squad is a mix of seasoned international performers combined with debutants. Four athletes Matt Cameron, Sybilla Austin, Yen Tran and Patrick Baker will represent Australia in their first ever senior team at a major international competition. One of the mainstays of the Australian team will be in Assen, but won�t be competing. Nine-time Paralympic gold medallist Louise Sauvage is now the national assistant coach and she believes this is a great opportunity for Australia�s debutants. "These first time performers have been selected to gain experience in the belief that this will be the start of a successful campaign towards Beijing and beyond."

The squad�s seasoned performers include a number of medal contenders including Kurt Fearnley (1500m, 5000m, Marathon), Angie Ballard (200m, 400m, 800m), Eliza Stankovic (100m, 200m, 800m), Richard Colman (400m, 800m) and the men�s 4x100m relay team.

Throwers Amanda Fraser and Damien Burroughs are two of the talented field event squad that has high hopes.

Fraser, an AIS athlete and 2006 Telstra AWD Athlete of the Year has made tremendous improvements over the last year and is hoping to beat Athens gold medallist Chun Li from China in Assen. Another Canberran, ACTAS athlete Damien Burroughs, achieved a personal best in Townsville, throwing 44.41m - his best result in six years. Burroughs won gold in the F37 Discus at the 1996 Atlanta Paralympic Games and puts his new found success down to former Australian shot-putter John Minns, who has been coaching him this year. Together they have seen improved consistency and performance, "I�ve been taking steps backwards to go forwards, John�s style of coaching really helps as he gets me to concentrate on drills rather than actual throws, which means I�m really keen to throw when the time comes" he explained.

Other athletes that came away from Townsville with strong performances included Ian Speed and Jonathon Bernard who set new Australian records in the (T12) 800m, and (T12) 200m respectively. Lisa McIntosh achieved a season best in the (T37) 200m - her best result since Sydney in 2000; James Mills recorded a personal best in the (T12) 100m and Tim Sullivan also ran strongly.

At the German national championships in Leverkusen last weekend, AIS athlete Heath Francis (T46) and ACTAS athlete Michael Armstrong (T46) produced fast times in the 100m, 200m and 400m events coming first and second respectively. Christine Wolf came second in the (F42) long jump with a 3.42m jump. Aaron Chatman (T46) set a personal best when he won the high jump clearing 1.90m.

Australian officials will also be represented at the event, with Janelle Eldridge appointed as an International Technical Official for the championships.

The IPC Athletics World Championships take place in the Stadium de Smelt in Assen, Holland from 2 - 10 September.

For further information please contact:
Scott Goodman - AA-PPP Head Coach - m) 0438 604578 - sgoodman@ausport.gov.au
Robert Pickles - AA-PPP Media Liaison Officer - robert.pickles@optusnet.com.au

For further information on the championships go to
http://www.wkatletiek.nl/index.cfm?pid=69&language=en

The team media guide is available on the Athletics Australia home page:
www.athletics.org.au

IPC World Championship Team

Wheelchair Track & Road
Men
Athlete Class Events
Patrick Baker (NSW) F54 Marathon, 4x400m
Matthew Cameron (QLD) F54 100m, 200m, 400m
Richard Colman (VIC) F53 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Kurt Fearnley (QLD) F54 800m, 1500m, 5000m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Richard Nicholson (ACT) F54 100m, 400m 800m, Marathon, 4x100m, 4x400m
Paul Nunnari (NSW) F54 Marathon, 4x100m, 4x400m

Women
Athlete Class Events
Sybilla Austin (QLD) F34 100m, 200m
Angie Ballard (NSW) F53 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m
Gemma Bucholtz (QLD) F52 100m, 200m
Eliza Stankovic (VIC) F54 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m, 1500m
Yan Tran (QLD) F53 100m, 200m

Throws
Men
Athlete Class Events
Damien Burroughs (ACT) F37 Discus, Shot, Javelin
Don Elgin (VIC) F44 Shot, Discus
Rod Farr (QLD) F52 Seated Shot, Javelin, Discus
Greg Hibberd (ACT) F34 Seated Shot, Discus
Nick Larionow (ACT) F36 Shot, Discus
Hamish MacDonald (ACT) F34 Seated Shot, Discus
Wade McMahon (ACT) F37 Javelin
Paul Raison (QLD) F44 Shot, Discus
Russell Short (VIC) F12 Shot, Discus
Bryan Stitfall (WA) F56 Seated Discus, Shot

Women
Athlete Class Events
Amanda Fraser (ACT) F37 Discus, Shot
Katherine Proudfoot (NSW) F36 Discus, Javelin, Shot
Debbie Wendt (QLD) F37 Javelin, Discus
Jodi Willis-Roberts (VIC) F12 Shot, Discus

Sprints & Jumps
Men
Athlete Class Events
Michael Armstrong (ACT) T46 100m, 200m, Relays
Malcolm Bennett (SA) T36 400m, 4x400m
Paul Benz (SA) T38 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Jonathan Bernard (QLD) T12 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Aaron Chatman (ACT) F46 High Jump
Heath Francis (ACT) T46 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Gerard Gossens (QLD) T11 1500m, 4x400m
Ben Hall (ACT) T37 100m, 200m, 400m
Tim Matthews (VIC) T12 100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
James Mills (QLD) T12 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x400m
Chris Mullins (VIC) T37 200m, 400m, 4x400m
Andrew Newell (NSW) T20 200m
Evan O�Hanlon (NSW) T38 100m, 200m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Tim Sullivan (VIC) T38 100m, 200m, 400m, 4x100m, 4x400m
Darren Thrupp (QLD) T/F37 100m, Long Jump, 4x100m, 4x400m
Dean Turner (WA) T/F20 200m, Long Jump

Women
Athlete Class Events
Crystal Lea Adams (WA) T/F20 100m, Long Jump
Lisa McIntosh (VIC) T37 100m, 200m
Katherine Proudfoot (NSW) T36 100m
Christine Wolf (ACT) T/F42 100m, Long Jump

Distance
Athlete Class Events
Malcolm Bennett (SA) T36 400m, 1500m
Gerrard Gosens (QLD) T11 1500m, 4x400m
Paul Mitchell (WA) T20 1500m
Tim Page (TAS) T20 1500m
Ian Speed (VIC) T12 800m, 4x400m