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Australia's first athletes arrive in Torino for the XX Winter Games

 

Australia's first athletes arrive in Torino for the XX Winter Games

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AOC

Biathlete Cameron Morton and skeleton athlete Shaun Boyle are the first Australian athletes to arrive in Torino for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Biathlete Cameron Morton and skeleton athlete Shaun Boyle are the first Australian athletes to arrive in Torino for the 2006 Olympic Winter Games.

Morton and Boyle travelled from their European training camps today, stopping off to collect their official uniform before heading to their villages in Bardonecchia and Sestriere.

“It’s fantastic to put on the gear with the Olympic rings and to be representing Australia” said Morton. ”I will savour the moment.”

Morton is the first male biathlete to represent Australia at a Winter Games since Andrew Paul in 1988, though he has been to a previous Games, as coach to Kerryn Rim in Nagano in 1998.

He produced his best performance of the season in the final World Cup before the Torino Games, finishing in 68th place in the Antholtz sprint.

"Antholz was a pretty solid performance," Morton said. "I didn't hit my straps in prone or in ski speed, but I'm feeling like my top form is close."

"I think I can gain 40 seconds with a clean prone and the same with my ski speed as I taper, which would see me in the top 40 at the Games."

"I was very happy with my standing form as I had been in a confidence slump after shooting badly in Rupholding and Orsblie in the standing position."

Morton, who comes from Harrietville at the foot of Mt Hotham, competed on the Torino course in the official Olympic test event.

”The course is one of a kind, it is purpose built for the Olympics and it is very tough with lots of hills and climbs."

Boyle placed third in a field of 29 sliders in the Challenge Cup in Konigssee at the end of last month, easily finishing inside the top eight result he needed to qualify for the Games. He was unaware he was the last Australian athlete to qualify for the team.

“I didn’t know till today that I was the last one to qualify, I was just concentrating on my event” he said.

“It is an unbelievable feeling being here. I have put in four years hard work just for this day."

He played soccer, ice hockey and did some freestyle skiing but four years ago he saw an opportunity to get to the Olympics in skeleton.

“I’d always had an interest in the Olympic Games and I just had a go.”

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