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A defending World Champion, a World Cross Country Champion, two Olympic bronze medallists, a former World Champion and the world’s newest member of the six metre pole vault club, head a quality team of 20 athletes named today to represent Australia at the 2005 IAAF World Championships in Athletics to be held in Helsinki, Finland from the 6-14 August.
World 400m hurdles Champion Jana Pittman will aim to defend her world title in Helsinki and will join current world number one walker Jane Saville, fellow Olympic bronze medallist Nathan Deakes, World Cross Country champion Benita Johnson and world class pole vaulter, Olympic finalist Paul Burgess, as Australia’s best medal hopes.
Other top chances include former World Champion Dmitri Markov, Olympic finalists Justin Anlezark and Craig Mottram, who is also a strong medal contender at the upcoming World Cross Country Championships in France (19-20 March).
The World Championships offer a further stepping stone for emerging sprint talents Joshua Ross and Daniel Batman, who will race in the individual sprints and the 4x100m relay which, when combined with Matt Shirvington, Patrick Johnson and Kris Neofytou, is capable of surpassing their sixth place Athens finish and getting amongst the medals.
Athletics Australia National Performance Director and chairman of selectors Max Binnington is confident this is a team that will perform, "Our goal is to consolidate our position in the top-15 at World level, and we are capable of this with the quality team selected today," said Binnington. "Everyone named in these initial selections is capable of achieving at least a semi final result."
Binnington is also confident Australia’s position at future World Championships will continue to strengthen, with the right competition pathways offered for talented juniors, "Many of the fine emerging juniors we saw at the Telstra A-championships last weekend, will be named later this month in the Australian team for the IAAF World Youth Championships (Morocco, July13-17), which is a more appropriate stepping stone for these youngsters".
ADDITIONAL SELECTION INFORMATION:
A decision on the addition of a men’s 4x400m relay will be made prior to the June 7 team additions. The decision will depend upon the recovery from injury of Clinton Hill and the form of remaining available athletes.
All athletes will be required to achieve a village entry standard to ensure team members are capable of performing at an appropriate level at the World Championships. The standards will be determined individually by the National Performance Director.
Final selections (if any) in the marathon, 50km Walk and 20km Walk will be announced in early May. Any additional track and field selections will be named in early June, after the qualifying periods close. (Marathon - 30 April; 20km & 50km Walk - 1 May; 10,000m & Combined Events – 5 June; all other in-stadium events – 30 May)
Australian Team @ 10 March 2005:
MEN
100m Joshua Ross (N)
200m Daniel Batman
400m Clinton Hill* (N)
5000m Craig Mottram (V)
20km Walk Nathan Deakes (V), Luke Adams (N)
Pole Vault Paul Burgess (W), Steve Hooker (V), Dmitri Markov (S)
Shot Put Justin Anlezark** (Q)
4x100m Relay Batman, Patrick Johnson (A), Kris Neofytou*** (N), Ross, Matt Shirvington (N) [one athlete may be added]
WOMEN
200m Lauren Hewitt (V)
1500m Sarah Jamieson (V)
5000m Benita Johnson (V)
400m Hurdles Jana Pittman^ (N)
20km Walk Jane Saville (N), Cheryl Webb (N)
Heptathlon Kylie Wheeler (W)
* selected subject to achieving one B standard by close of entries (25 July 2005)
** selected subject to achieving two B standards by close of entries (25 July 2005)
*** selected subject to a fitness test
^ defending champion
source Athletics Australia
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