The AOC has announced 40 athletes to represent Australia at the inaugural World Beach Games in Doha next month.
The Qatar 2019 World Beach Games will see more than 1200 athletes from almost 100 nations compete in 14 sports from 12-16 October.
The Australian Team will compete across Beach Volleyball, Karate, Sailing, Swimming, Sport Climbing, Beach Handball and Water Skiing.
Chef de Mission John Boultbee says the Beach Games is a new concept that gives Australian athletes another stage to compete and develop.
“This is a great opportunity for a number of sports to get competition and profile that often doesn’t come their way,” Boultbee said.
“Apart from looking for results, I am keen to see our athletes involved get very welcome multi-sport team experience, and the opportunity to learn from each other.”
With Sport Climbing and Karate making their Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, the Games offers a vital opportunity for athletes to gain experience in a multisport environment.
Victorian climber Oceana Mackenzie was thrilled to experience her first international mixed sport event.
“I’m so excited to be selected for the World Beach Games, competing in a multisport comp is something new for our sport,” Mackenzie said.
“The Doha Beach Games will really help me grow as an athlete and give our Team some of that big event experience.
“Since Sport Climbing was announced as being part of the Tokyo Olympics, there’s such a buzz of excitement – a lot more people are trying the sport and climbing gyms are a lot busier.
“Aussie athletes train so hard and it’s great to get to show off our sport and our work at big global events.”
The first ever World Beach Games offer a new take on the traditional Olympic schedule, showcasing new disciplines for Olympic sports like 4x4 Beach Volleyball, Beach Handball and Kitefoil Sailing.
The Games are organised by the Association of National Olympic Committees (ANOC) and aims to connect the Olympic community with new sporting disciplines centred on the beach.
| Sport | Women | Men |
|---|---|---|
| Beach Handball |
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| Beach Volleyball 4x4 |
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| Karate |
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| Sailing - Kitesurfing |
| |
| Sport Climbing - Bouldering |
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| Swimming - Open Water 5km |
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| Waterskiing- Wakeboarding |
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*Note: Johannah Rohkamper has been added to the Team (Beach Volleyball) after injury withdrawal of Phoebe Bell and Jess Ngauamo.
