Following the Melbourne Track Classic & Olympic Trials, Athletics Australia has identified a further 17 athletes for nomination to the Australian Olympic Committee in June subject to them meeting ongoing form and fitness requirements.

Youcef Abdi (NSW, 3000m steeplechase), Brendan Cole (ACT, 400m hurdles), Henry Frayne (Qld, triple jump), Craig Mottram (Vic, 5000m) and Jeff Riseley (Vic, 800m) are all eligible for automatic nomination under the Athletics Australia Nomination Criteria.

These five athletes have been identified as a result of finishing first in their respective event at the Melbourne Track Classic & Olympics Trials and having recorded an Athletics Australia qualifying standard or distance either at or at least twice prior to the event since the qualifying period commenced on 1 May 2011 (for all events except the marathon, 10,000m, combined events and walks, whose period has run since 1 January 2011).

Claire Tallent (ACT) and Jared Tallent (Vic), who is already eligible for nomination in the 50km event, have also been identified for nomination after winning the Australian 20km Race Walking Championships in Hobart (Tas) in an Olympic qualifying time.

In addition, the following athletes have been identified discretionary nominations based on Clause D (4) of the Athletics Australia 2012 Nomination Criteria:
Collis Birmingham (Vic, 5000m)
Lauren Boden (ACT, 400m hurdles)
Alana Boyd (WA, pole vault)
Zoe Buckman (Vic, 1500m)
Henry Frayne (Qld, long jump)
Regan Lamble (ACT, 20km walk)
Beki Lee (NSW, 20km walk)
Kaila McKnight (Vic, 1500m)
Liz Parnov (WA, pole vault)
Dani Samuels (NSW, discus)
Ben St Lawrence (NSW, 10,000m)
Julian Wruck (Vic, discus)

Frayne becomes the first Australian since Ian Tomlinson in 1964 to have qualified for nomination in both the triple jump and long jump at an Olympic Games. The 20-year-old jumped 8.27m in the long jump at the Sydney Track Classic and then won the event in Melbourne with a best of 8.09m.

Also victorious in Sydney was Boden, whose time of 55.45 saw her dip under the Olympic qualifying time of 55.50 and maintain a consistently improving run of form throughout the domestic season.

Boyd has cleared the Olympic qualifying standard of 4.50m a staggering eight times since the qualifying period commenced, which includes a new Australian record of 4.76m set in Perth late last month. She is joined by training partner Parnov, who faces the prospect of competing at the IAAF world junior championships in Barcelona (ESP) just weeks prior to the 2012 Olympic Games.

Birmingham’s Olympic qualifying standards in the 5000m were set in his namesake city in England last year at the Diamond League meet and at the Briggs Athletics Classic last month. Samuels also recorded her qualifying standard in Birmingham last July.

If selected by the AOC to the 2012 Australian Olympic Team, Boden, Buckman, Frayne, Lamble, Lee, Parnov, McKnight, St Lawrence and Wruck will make their Olympic debut in London.

The 17 named athletes above join a previously identified eight of:
Luke Adams (NSW, 50km walk)
Jarrod Bannister (Vic, javelin)
Nathan Deakes (ACT, 50km walk)
Benn Harradine (Vic, discus)
Kim Mickle (WA, javelin)
Sally Pearson (Qld, 100m hurdles)
Jared Tallent (Vic, 50km walk)
Mitchell Watt (Qld, long jump)
 
These eight athletes together with today’s additional 17, including Frayne and J. Tallent in two events, take the total team count to 25 in 27 events.
 
Pearson, Boyd, Mottram and Frayne will all compete at the IAAF world indoor championships in Istanbul (TUR) this weekend, along with Dale Stevenson (Vic), who is in career best form after a 20.16m personal best on the weekend, and Ryan Foster (Tas).

To view images of the Australian Athletics Team in action click here>>>

Athletics Australia