At the heart of all sport is running, jumping and throwing, with the three combining at the Olympic Games to deliver an athletics program that spans the blue riband 100 metre sprint and the marathon through to the discus and long jump.
Overview
Australia’s 64-strong contingent at Tokyo 2020 – the largest to ever compete at an Olympic Games held overseas - includes no less than 12 athletes duelling for medals in throws and jumps events.
Among them is the 2019 javelin champion Kelsey-Lee Barber, while Gold Coast 2018 gold medallist Kurtis Marschall flies the flag in the men’s pole vault as Liz Parnov and Nina Kennedy compete in the women’s event.
Australia’s rich history of success at the Olympic Games includes gold to Steve Hooker at Beijing 2008, a silver medal to Louise Currey in the women’s javelin in 1996 and four podium finishes in the men’s long jump – Theodore Bruce (1948), Gary Honey (1984), Jai Taurima (2000) and Mitchell Watt (2012).
The Team
Ones To Watch
Nicola McDermott and Eleanor Patterson are set to soar in the women’s high jump, with McDermott holding the national record of 2.01m and Patterson a personal best of 1.99m.
2019 javelin world champion, Kelsey-Lee Barber, will start in the women’s javelin, having thrown 66.56m to stand atop the podium at the most recent World Athletics Championships. She will be joined by Kathryn Mitchell and Mackenzie Little.
Australian & Oceania long jump record holder Brooke Stratton starts in the women’s long jump, having made her Olympic debut at Rio 2016.
The Format
Field events feature both a qualifying round and a final. The top-12 athletes from the qualifying rounds compete for medals.
Competition commences on 30 July and continues until the final day of the Olympic Games on 9 August.
Athletics has the privilege of competing in the same venue as the Olympic and Closing Ceremony – the Olympic Stadium.
What's The Story?
Dani Samuels becomes one of Australia’s most prolific Olympian, taking to the thrower’s circle for the women’s discus for a fourth time. While, Nina Kennedy (pole vault), Mackenzie Little (javelin), Nicola McDermott (high jump) and Eleanor Patterson (high jump) will all make their debut at Tokyo 2020.
The Facts
- Matt Denny (1.94m, discus) and Nicola McDermott (1.86m, high jump) are the tallest man and woman on the Australian athletics team.
- Nick Winter won Australia’s first gold medal in the field, standing atop the podium in the men’s triple jump in 1924.
- Australia has never won a gold medal in the women’s field events – can our starters in the high jump, long jump, pole vault, discus and javelin make history at Tokyo 2020?
- Gold Coast 2018 high jump champion Brandon Starc the younger brother of Australian test cricketer Mitchell Starc.
