The Australian Youth Olympic Festival (AYOF) is an opportunity to witness sporting stars before they take off. Short track speed skaters Alex Merriman and Ben Southee are two such competitors who are on the brink of Winter Olympian status.

The pair recently competed at the World Cup in Montreal, Canada, with astonishing results. Merriman capped off the Cup in tenth place and the men’s relay team including Southee shaved more than two seconds of the previous Australian men’s record.

Merriman and Southee are just two of the sports stars that will be burning up the rink and gaining valuable Olympic style experience when their sport debuts at the AYOF in January 2007.

Both Merriman and Southee were near misses for the Torino Olympics earlier this year, and despite their disappointment are looking forward to using the AYOF as an opportunity to refine their skills, as they continue their quest for the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.

Stiff international competition for the strong Australian team will come from skillful speedsters care of China and Chinese Taipei. The Aussies are confident of impressing in front of their home crowd.

“The Australian Team selection for the 2007 AYOF demonstrates the strong base of speed and skating talent within the junior ranks and bodes well for the future of this sport”, Kyle Francis, President of the Ice Speed Skating Association of NSW said.

“We participate in a lot of international competition but it will be great to so on home soil”, Merriman says. Coach,

Maggie Holland added “it is an important step towards our athletes goals of representing Australia in the Winter Olympics”. The team to compete at the AYOF is as follows:

Men:
Alex Merrimen, Annerly QLD 4103
Ben Southee, Bellevue Hill NSW 2023
Noah Essaghir, Summer Hill, NSW 2103
Grant Hester, Revesby, NSW 2212
Corey Williams, Mulgrave, VIC 3170

Women:
Kate Dousi, Bald Hills, QLD 4036
Tabitha Caldecutt, Camira, QLD 4300
Marissa Earle, Croydon Park, NSW 2133
Lyla Abdallah-Pinney, Arncliffe, NSW 2205
Alix- Myra Anderson, Lugarno, NSW 2210

To catch a glimpse of the talent on offer spectators must head down to the Sydney Ice Arena at Baulkham Hills between the 18th and the 21st of January 2007. Spectating at all 16 Olympic sports at the AYOF is free.

Nicky Park
AYOF