Craig Mottram will defend his 3000m title at the IAAF World Cup in Athens next month, following the announcement of the Oceania team today.

Australia will be represented by 35 athletes, including Commonwealth Games gold medallists Bronwyn Thompson (long jump), Brooke Billet (hammer), Kym Howe and Steve Hooker (pole vault), Scott Martin (shot put and discus) and Stuart Rendell (hammer).

Relay gold medallists in the 4x400m from Melbourne - Rosemary Hayward, Caitlin Willis and Clinton Hill will also compete.

The team announced today by the Oceania Athletics Association still has a number of additions to be made, with the final spots in some individual events to be confirmed following competition in Europe over the next 10 days.

The IAAF World Cup was last held in Madrid, Spain in 2002, where Mottram announced himself as a star with a runaway win in the 3000m in a new championship record.

Justin Anlezark finished 2nd in the shot put and Jana Pittman 3rd in the 400m hurdles; both were unavailable for selection for this year’s event.

New Zealand’s Beatrice Faumuina won the discus, however she was beaten by Australia’s rising star and recent world junior champion Dani Samuels at the Commonwealth Games denying the former world champion the opportunity to defend her title.

Mottram is one of three Australian’s who have recorded World Cup wins with Lyn Jacenko (long jump – 1977) and Joanna Stone (javelin – 1998), along with Faumuina recording victories for Oceania since the first edition in Dusseldorf, Germany in 1977.

The IAAF World Cup is the premier team’s competition in world athletics. The competition features straight finals in all events except the multi-events and walks, with athletes representing continental teams from Asia, Africa, Americas (Canada, Central and South America and the Caribbean) Europe and Oceania.

In addition, the USA and the top two teams from the European Cup (France and Russia for the men and Russia and Poland for women) joining host nation Greece in the nine team competition.

Athletes compete for points based on placings to determine the best teams in international athletics.

To add further interest, athletes will compete for a significant prize pool – with US$30,000 delivered to the winners of each individual event.

The 10th IAAF World Cup will be held in Athens, Greece, on the weekend of 16-17 September 2006.

For the full team see www.athletics.org.au

Athletics Australia