Athletics Australia today named a squad of 40 athletes to participate in the 11th IAAF World Championships in Athletics to be held in Osaka, Japan in August 2007.

The squad is headed by 2003 world 400m hurdles champion Jana Rawlinson and 2005 World Championship bronze medallist Craig Mottram.

Rawlinson is planning to return to competition in May ahead of her first appearance at the world titles since her stunning victory in Paris in 2003. She missed a championship defence in Helsinki two years ago due to a back injury.

The squad includes Commonwealth Games champion Nathan Deakes (20km walk), Steven Hooker (pole vault), Kym Howe (pole vault), Rawlinson (400m hurdles), Jane Saville (20km walk), John Steffensen (400m, 4x400m) and Bronwyn Thompson (long jump).

First-time World Championships team members include world No. 2 pole vaulter Paul Burgess, Australian 400m champion Sean Wroe, shot putter Scott Martin, javelin exponent Jarrod Bannister, 1500m Australian champion Lisa Corrigan, steeplechasers Donna MacFarlane and Victoria Mitchell, pole vaulter Alana Boyd, and World Junior discus champion Dani Samuels.

Jane Saville is set to make her sixth appearance at the IAAF World Championships in 2007 whilst Nathan Deakes, Patrick Johnson and Benita Johnson will wear the green and gold for the fourth time.

Scott Martin, Victoria Mitchell, Jana Rawlinson and John Steffensen have all been included in the team despite missing the Telstra Australian Championships due to injury. They have not been selected subject to fitness; all athletes in the squad are required to prove their fitness to compete in the World Championships by the achievement of pre-Australia departure and pre-Games Village entry standards to be set by the National Performance Director in consultation with the relevant Athletics Australia event coach.

Relay squads have been selected in the men’s 4x100m and 4x400m with these squads to be trimmed to a maximum of six athletes prior to the championships.

The Australian women’s 4x100m team will seek to reach the qualifying time in Osaka in May and may be added to the team should they achieve the qualifying standard.

Competitors in the marathon and 50km walk will be announced in late May. Additional selections in all events can be made at any time up to the close of entries prior to the championships, which commence on 25 August 2007.

Athletics Australia Chairman of Selectors Peter Fitzgerald said he expected the size of the squad to grow before the close of final entries in August.

“The selections we have made at this stage are those who have qualified as a matter of right according to the terms of the selection policy together with those athletes whose performances and level of consistency, either at international level or during the recent Telstra A-Series, demonstrated that they are capable of reaching the top 16 in Osaka,” he said.

“In some cases, like Dani Samuels and our relay squad members Aaron Rouge-Serret, Kurt Mulcahy and Dylan Grant - should they make the final team - we are introducing some of our most talented young athletes to senior World Championships-level competition for the first time.

“We will be monitoring performances between now and the close of entries and hope to add to the Team those athletes whose form following the Telstra Selection Trials indicates that they are capable of a top 16 performance in Osaka.”

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SQUAD 11TH IAAF WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS OSAKA, JAPAN 25 AUGUST – 2 SEPTEMBER 2007

Any athlete not listed as automatic has been selected by operation of discretion.

MEN:
100m Joshua Ross (NSW) - automatic
200m Patrick Johnson (AIS), Joshua Ross (NSW)
400m John Steffensen (WA), Sean Wroe (VIC) - automatic
1500m Mark Fountain (VIC) - automatic
5000m Craig Mottram (VIC) - automatic
3000m steeplechase Youcef Abdi (NSW)
Pole vault Paul Burgess (WA), Steven Hooker (WA) - automatic
Shot put Scott Martin (VIC)
Javelin Jarrod Bannister (QLD) - automatic
Marathon to be announced late May 2007
20km walk Luke Adams (AIS) - automatic, Nathan Deakes (AIS), Jared Tallent (AIS)
50km walk to be announced late May 2007
4x100m relay squad* Ambrose Ezenwa (NSW) , Adam Miller (AIS), Adrian Mott (VIC), Joshua Ross (NSW), Aaron Rouge-Serret (VIC), Keith Sheehy (SA), Steven Tucker (WA), Tim Williams (VIC)
4x400m relay squad* Dylan Grant (QLD), Clinton Hill (AIS), Kurt Mulcahy (NSW), Mark Ormrod (AIS), John Steffensen (WA), Chris Troode (WA), Sean Wroe (VIC)

WOMEN
100m Sally McLellan (QLD) - automatic
1500m Lisa Corrigan (ACT), Sarah Jamieson (VIC)
5000m Eloise Wellings (NSW)
10,000m Benita Johnson (VIC)
100m hurdles Sally McLellan (QLD) - automatic
400m hurdles Jana Rawlinson (NSW)
3000m steeplechase Donna MacFarlane (TAS) - automatic, Victoria Mitchell (VIC)
Pole vault Alana Boyd (QLD), Kym Howe (WA) - automatic
Long jump Bronwyn Thompson (QLD) - automatic
Discus Dani Samuels (NSW)
Heptathlon Kylie Wheeler (WA) - automatic
20km walk Jane Saville (NSW)
Marathon to be announced late May 2007

* Final team (maximum of six athletes per relay) to be confirmed prior to close of IAAF entries in August.

Athletics Australia