President’s Message

Congratulations to all athletes selected to compete as part of the Australian Olympic Team at Rio 2016, to be held on 5-21 August 2016.

It’s a great honour to represent one’s country on the world stage, and the Olympic Games are arguably the grandest stage of all. I hope that you cherish the opportunity presented to you.

The athletics section that will compete at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games boasts a fantastic mix of youth and experience. To be led by London 2012 Olympic champion Jared Tallent, together with his leadership group of Lauren Wells, Kim Mickle, Alana Boyd and Chris Erickson, the competing squad also includes an exciting new generation of talent including Cedric Dubler, Ella Nelson, Josh Clarke, Brooke Stratton and Kurtis Marschall. 

The athletics section also features more athletes than ever before competing in individual events at an Olympic Games held overseas, with 61 to start alongside the women’s 4x400m relay team. This is an outstanding reflection of the depth of talent currently competing in our sport.

On behalf of Athletics Australia, I extend a very sincere thank you to the Australian Olympic Committee, its President, John Coates AC, Chief Executive Officer, Fiona de Jong, and Chef de Mission, Kitty Chiller. The AOC have been an ongoing supporter of track and field and I wish all involved the very best of luck in the coming weeks as Rio 2016 entertains people from across the world.

A special thank you to the coaches, parents, officials and volunteers that do so much to support Australia’s track and field stars. Without your support, the ability to compete at outstanding events like this would not be possible. On behalf of Athletics Australia and the Australian athletics fraternity as a community, I wish all athletes the best of luck at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.