15.04.2009

Five added to World University Games team

A further five athletes have been named to the Australian team for the 25th World University Games in Belgrade, Serbia, from July 1-12, 2009.

An initial wave of 34 athletes was selected to the team earlier this month, with today’s additions taking to 39 the number of athletes now bound for Belgrade.

John Burstow (110m hurdles), Joel Pocklington (pole vault), Shaun Fletcher (long jump), Dale Stevenson (discus throw) and Zoe Timmers (high jump) will now join the Australian contingent at the July Games.

Athletes may be added to the team until the final selection meeting in the week commencing May 19, following the end of the qualifying period on May 18.

One of the largest sporting events in the world, Australia has a strong record of success at the ‘Universiade’ which, in terms of quality of performance, is perceived by many to be higher than the Commonwealth Games.

The team is led by Sean Wroe (100m/200m/4x400m), Dani Samuels (shot put/discus), Tristan Thomas (400m h/4x400m), Adam Rutter (20km walk) and Melissa Breen (100m/200m) who have also been selected to compete in the IAAF World Championships to be staged in Berlin in August.

Australia tasted great success at the Bangkok edition of the World University Games in 2007 with Wroe (400m) and Robbie Crowther (long jump) crowned gold medallists and Samuels (discus throw) and the men’s 4x400m relay team collecting silver.

Twelve reigning national champions have been given the nod for the team – Wroe (400m), Justin Merlino (110m hurdles), Thomas (400m hurdles), Liam Zamel-Paez (high jump), Blake Lucas (pole vault), Alwyn Jones (triple jump), Breen (200m), Pape (800m), Lara Tamsett (10,000m), Jacinta Boyd (long jump), Lauren Foote (heptathlon) and Samuels (shot put/discus).

In addition to Wroe, Samuels and Rutter, two other Beijing Olympians have also been selected – Madeleine Pape (400m/800m) and Lachlan Renshaw (800m).

The World University Summer Games (WUSG) are held every two years under the banner of the International University Sports Federation (FISU).

More than 8,000 athletes and officials from 50 nations are expected to descend on Belgrade for 12 days of competition across 13 sports - archery, athletics, basketball, fencing, football, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), swimming, diving, water polo, taekwondo, tennis and volleyball.

In 2009 the athletics competition will be held from July 7-12.

Past Australian gold medallists at the Games have included Shirley Strickland (100m and 80m hurdles – 1955), Ralph Doubell (800m – 1967), Robbie Crowther (2007 – long jump), Sean Wroe (2007 – 400m), Shaun Creighton (3000m steeple – 1991), Alison Inverarity (high jump – 1991), Jane Jamieson (heptathlon – 1995 and 2001), Emma George (pole vault -1997), Eloise Wellings (5000m – 2003) and Kylie Wheeler (heptathlon – 2003).

Following the second wave of selections the Australian team for the 25th World University Games is as follows:

Men (25)

100m: Sean Wroe (VIC)

200m: Wroe, Kurt Mulcahy (NSW)

400m: Mulcahy

800m: Lachlan Renshaw (NSW)

1500m: Ryan Gregson (NSW)

5000m: Liam Adams (VIC), Richard Everest (SA)

110m hurdles: Justin Merlino (NSW), John Burstow (QLD)

400m hurdles: Tristan Thomas (TAS), Brendan Cole (ACT)

20km walk: Adam Rutter (NSW), Tom Barnes (VIC), Ian Rayson (NSW)

High jump: Liam Zamel-Paez (QLD)

Pole vault: Blake Lucas (VIC), Joel Pocklington (VIC)

Long jump: John Thornell (NSW), Shaun Fletcher (NSW)

Triple jump: Alwyn Jones (VIC), Henry Frayne (VIC)

Discus throw: Dale Stevenson (VIC)

Javelin throw: Josh Robinson (QLD), Matthew Outzen (NSW)

4x400m relay: Wroe, Mulcahy, Thomas, Chris Troode (WA), Clay Watkins (SA)

Women (14)

100m: Melissa Breen (ACT)

200m: Breen

400m: Madeleine Pape (VIC)

800m: Pape

1500m: Kaila McKnight (VIC), Bridey Delaney (NSW)

10000m: Lara Tamsett (NSW)

400m hurdles: Lauren Boden (ACT)

20km walk: Jillian Hosking (ACT)

High jump: Ellen Pettitt (WA), Zoe Timmers (WA)

Pole vault: Amanda Bisk (WA)

Long jump: Jacinta Boyd (QLD)

Shot put: Dani Samuels (NSW)

Discus throw: Samuels

Javelin throw: Laura Cornford (NSW)

Heptathlon: Lauren Foote (SA)

All team members are selected conditionally on the basis that their eligibility status needs to be ratified by Australian University Sport.