22.05.2009

Henry, Wheatley join World University Games team

The Australian team bound for the World University Games in Belgrade in July has been further bolstered following the final round of selections to the squad.

Added to the team en route to Serbia for the July 1-12 event are West Australian athletes Jody Henry (100m) and Megan Wheatley (heptathlon).

The selection of Henry and Wheatley takes to 38 the total number of Australian athletes headed to Belgrade for the 25th edition of the university championships.

Henry joins rising sprint star Melissa Breen (ACT) on the start list for the women’s 100m while Wheatley joins fellow Aussie all-rounder Lauren Foote (SA) in action in the women’s heptathlon.

Qualifying for the meet came to a close this week with no further selections to the team allowed ahead of the July competition.

New South Wales athlete Kurt Mulcahy, named in the first round of selections in the men’s 200m, 400m and 4x400m relay events, has withdrawn from the team to pursue interests in rugby union.

Chris Troode (WA), previously named in the men’s 4x400m relay, will take Mulcahy’s place in the individual one-lap event.

Brendan Cole and Lachlan Reshaw, initially selected to the 400m hurdles and 800m respectively, have been added to the men’s 4x400m relay list alongside Troode, Tristan Thomas (TAS), Clay Watkins (SA) and Sean Wroe (VIC).

Emerging 5000m runner Richard Everest (VIC) has also withdrawn from the Games, his preparation for the meet hampered by a lingering achilles injury.

Everest’s withdrawal leaves Liam Adams (VIC) as the sole Australian set to start in the men’s 5000m.

In further selection news Dale Stevenson (VIC), previously named in the men’s discus throw, will now contest both the men’s shot put and discus events.

Men’s javelin throw representative Matthew Outzen (NSW) has withdrawn from the Games due to ineligibility.

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.

In 2009 the team will be led by Wroe (100m/200m/4x400m), Dani Samuels (shot put/discus), Thomas (400m h/4x400m), Adam Rutter (20km walk) and 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), 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 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 compete in Belgrade.

In addition to athletics, 12 other sports will be contested at the 2009 edition of the Games – 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), 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), Kylie Wheeler (heptathlon – 2003), Crowther (2007 – long jump) and Wroe (2007 – 400m).

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

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

Men (22)

100m: Sean Wroe (VIC)
200m: Wroe,
400m: Chris Troode (WA)
800m: Lachlan Renshaw (NSW)
1500m: Ryan Gregson (NSW)
5000m: Liam Adams (VIC)
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)
Shot put: Dale Stevenson (VIC)
Discus throw: Stevenson
Javelin throw: Josh Robinson (QLD)
4x400m relay: Thomas, Chris Troode (WA), Clay Watkins (SA), Wroe, Cole, Renshaw

Women (16)

100m: Melissa Breen (ACT), Jody Henry (WA)
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), Megan Wheatley (WA)

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