Experienced campaigners Tamsyn Lewis and Matt Shirvington are the latest additions to the Australian team for the 11th IAAF World Championships which kick off in Osaka, Japan, in 39 days time.

Australia will send a team of 43 athletes to the world titles which commence on August 25; headlined by 2003 world 400m hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson and 2005 World Championships bronze medallist Craig Mottram.

Additions include confirmation of the men’s and women’s 4 x 100m relay teams, along with the inclusion of Tamsyn Lewis in the 800m.

Selected in the 4 x 100m relay team, Shirvington will be joined by four-time national champion Joshua Ross (NSW), Olympian Adam Miller (AIS), world junior championships semi-finalist Aaron Rouge-Serret (VIC) and Commonwealth Games relay bronze medallist Tim Williams (VIC).

After producing a surprise world championships qualifier in May - the fastest time by an Australian team (43.62 seconds) since 2000 - our women’s 4 x 100m relay team has also been finalised.

Three-time Australian sprint champion Sally McLellan (QLD) will be joined by fellow Commonwealth Games relay bronze medallist Crystal Attenborough (NT), hurdles specialist Fiona Cullen (QLD), 23 year-old New South Wales athlete Preya Carey and Tasmanian primary school teacher Melissa Kay.

The men’s 4 x 400m relay team will be finalised at the conclusion of next month’s training camp in Bangkok.

For Lewis, who turns 29 on Friday, today’s announcement is an early present. With a victory at this year’s national titles and a collection of 800m B-qualifiers under her belt, Lewis headed to Europe endeavouring to post that elusive 800m A-qualifier of two-minutes flat.

At the IAAF World Tour meeting in Athens (July 2) Lewis recorded an impressive 1:59.45 – the 13th fastest in the world this year and her fastest time since 2003.

An under-prepared Shirvington decided to bypass the 2007 Australian domestic season, preferring to return to his training base in England with his wife Jessica and nine-month old daughter Sienna.

The former 100m Australian record holder clocked 10.28 seconds in Salamanca in June; a B-qualifier and his quickest 100m time in 18 months.

The five-time national title-holder is no stranger to the international athletics scene, with appearances at the Olympics, World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

Athletics Australia Chairman of Selectors Peter Fitzgerald said that positions in the Australian team were still open.

“We have made these selections now to provide the athletes with as much lead-in time as possible to the World Championships in Osaka.”

“Further additions to the World Championships team are possible up until August 12, and selectors will be keeping a close eye on performances in Europe and Australia over the next few weeks.”

Athletics Australia