SOCHI: In 100 days Australia’s biggest and best Olympic Winter Team will march in the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony, and ‘anticipation is high’.
SOCHI: In 100 days Australia’s biggest and best Olympic Winter Team will march in the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony, and ‘anticipation is high’.
On February 7 approximatley 55 Australians will march in the Sochi 2014 Opening Ceremony.
That leaves just over 14 weeks until Torah Bright (Snowboard Halfpipe) and Lydia Lassila (Aerials) launch the defence of their Olympic crowns.
Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman has the task of a top 15 finish in Sochi and it is anticipated that will take four or more medals. Thankfully he has plenty of faces in the Australian Team to achieve that.
“We go in with the best credentialed Team and with the most medal chances than ever before,” Chesterman, who will lead his fifth Team in Sochi, said.
“With 100 days to go and the northern hemisphere season about to hit full swing, anticipation is high amongst our athletes.
“They know this is the Olympic season and they must qualify for the Games and then deliver in February. Our job is to provide the best environment and support so the Australian athletes can be the best that they can be, on the right day and achieve the results they work so hard and dream for.”
Gone are the days of Australians being novelty features on the winter podium. Last season 13 Australian athletes won 24 medals in World Championship or World Cup events.
Snowboard Cross World Champion Alex ‘Chumpy’ Pullin is one of a host of athletes aiming to add an Olympic medal to their collection.
Not to be outshone by the bevy of medal hopes in women’s aerials - Laura Peel, Danielle Scott and Lassila; David Morris finished the season ranked number two in the world and became Australia’s first male aerial skier to make a World Cup podium.
Dual Olympic Moguls medallist Dale Begg-Smith is back training hard to win a remarkable third medal from the past three Olympics (gold – Torino 2006, silver – Vancouver 2010).
His medal-winning teammates from 2010 are also not resting on their laurels. Bright has added Snowboard Slopestyle and Snowboard Cross to her schedule as she chases another Halfpipe medal. Lassila, who became a mum in 2011, is trying new mind-blowing tricks to become the first Australian and Freestyle Skier to defend an Olympic title.
2011 World Champions Nate Johnstone and Holly Crawford from the northern beaches of Sydney will be hard to stop in the Snowboard Halfpipe, while Australia also boasts World Cup medallists in Ski Cross.
New sports like Ski Slopestyle are on the cusp of their Olympic debut and Aussies Anna Segal and Russ Henshaw will be right in the medal hunt.
Australia’s sliding ranks are also improving solidly in Luge, Skeleton and Bobsleigh.
Two-time Olympic hurdler Jana Pittman told schoolkids yesterday that as she trains for Bobsleigh her muscles are now ‘three times bigger’ than when she was a hurdler. It is that sort of dedication that could see her selected as the Bobsleigh brakewoman and make her the first Australian female to be a summer and winter Olympian.
Australian figure skaters will be well represented, with Aussies also striving for qualification in Short Track and Speed Skating.
Remarkably Australia has medalled at the past five Winter Games dating back to Lillehammer 1994. It started with a Short Track Relay bronze, then Zali Steggall’s Slalom bronze in 1998, before 2002 and the unforgettable gold to Steven Bradbury and Alisa Camplin. Camplin’s heroics led to aerials bronze in 2006 as Begg-Smith skied to gold. The Vancouver 2010 Olympics was a remarkable success with two gold and one silver. Since the flame went out in Canada planning has been underway to exceed that record in Russia.
Chesterman returned just last week from the final planning visit to southern Russia to ensure all is set for the Team’s arrival.
“It is the best collection of venues I have ever seen,” he said. “The competition venues are stunning and athlete-focussed. The Villages are outstanding and we are very happy with the allotments for the Australian Team.”
@AUSOlympicTeam Key Facts
- Team of approximately 55 athletes – Australia’s largest ever Winter Team (40 - 2010 & 2006)
- Australia has medalled at every Winter Games since Lillehammer 1994
- All three medallists from 2010 are aiming for Sochi - @LydiaLassila @TorahBright & Dale Begg-Smith; so is defending World Champion @chumpypullin
- Australia had 13 athletes medal 24 times in the 2012/13 season
- Ian Chesterman will lead his fifth Team in Sochi
- @AUSOlympicTeam Social Media - Facebook > Twitter > Instagram > YouTube > Google+
- Fan Messaging coming to Team website Soon!
