02.04.2009

Twelve national champions lead World University Games team

Australia’s best emerging athletes will have the opportunity to gain valuable international experience, with an initial team of 34 selected to compete at the 25th World University Summer Games in Belgrade, Serbia from July 1 – 12, 2009.

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 already been selected to compete in the IAAF World Championships to be staged in Berlin in August.

Australia tasted great success in Bangkok two years ago, Wroe (400m) and Robbie Crowther (long jump) crowned gold medallists, whilst Samuels (discus) and the men’s 4 x 400m relay team collected silver.

Wroe will be competing in the 100m and 200m in Belgrade, and thus will not be defending his individual 400m title.

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

Twelve reigning national champions have been given the nod – 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 and discus).

The World University Summer Games (WUSG) is 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 compete in Belgrade.

In addition to athletics, twelve other sports will be contested at the 2009 edition of the WUSG – archery, basketball, fencing, football, gymnastics (artistic and rhythmic), swimming, diving, water polo, taekwondo, tennis, and volleyball.

Past Australian gold medallists have included Shirley Strickland (100m and 80m hurdles – 1955), Ralph Doubell (800m – 1967), Robert 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).

The athletics competition will be held from July 7-12.

Australian athletics team
2009 World University Games
Belgrade, Serbia July 1 – 12, 2009

MEN (21):

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 H - Justin Merlino (NSW)
400m H - 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)
Long Jump - John Thornell (NSW)
Triple Jump - Alwyn Jones (Vic), Henry Frayne (Vic)
Javelin Throw - Josh Robinson (Qld), Matthew Outzen (NSW)
4x400m - Wroe, Mulcahy, Thomas, Chris Troode (WA), Clay Watkins (SA)

WOMEN (13):

100m - Melissa Breen (ACT)
200m - Breen
400m - Madeleine Pape (Vic)
800m - Pape
1500m - Kaila McKnight (Vic), Bridey Delaney (NSW)
10000m - Lara Tamsett (NSW)
400m H - Lauren Boden (ACT)
20km Walk - Jillian Hosking (ACT)
High Jump - Ellen Pettitt (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)

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

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