Aussies Aussie Watch, lead up to - Paris 2024

[RussellEbertHandball]

The 24 Rugby Seven's players for men's and women's teams named on Wednesday. Team count up to 357.

Rugby Sevens raring to go as Olympic Teams locked in

The 24 Rugby Sevens athletes selected for the Australian Olympic Team in Paris have been announced by the Australian Olympic Committee today, boasting four...

www.olympics.com.au

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Are they still doing duel flag bearers? Who do we think will get the honour?

My tip is Fox for the women. Emma McKeon would be a chance but would they go swimmers in consecutive Olympics? Not sure about the men; I’ll have a further think.

This bugged me again last night whilst watching the TDF. So I looked up the wiki page on who has been flag bearers at both opening and closing ceremonies of both Summer and Winter Games.

Looking at this list of flag bearers to the Summer Games since 1988 longevity seems to be a big factor rather than medals in who gets the gig. That's when the 4th or more games athletes got the gig.

Ric Charlewsorth in 1988 went to his 4th, but was selected to go to Moscow, so made 5 teams, but the then Australian Hockey Association pulled the team out. in 1984 Wayne Roycroft went to his 3rd but like Charlesworth made the Moscow team for equestrian but their association pulled out their team of riders.

Put this together about opening ceremony flag bearers. Jenny Donnet was the first Australian female to go to 4 Olympics. Medals column is how many medals they had won at Olympics before being named the flag bearer. Closing ceremony is for medal winners at that Games to get the gig as flag bearer.

List of flag bearers for Australia at the Olympics - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

 

[damochandler]

How are our rowing and cycling chances looking

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

How are our rowing and cycling chances looking

Rowing is better than cycling

Australian rowers selected with 37-strong Team to continue Olympic legacy in Paris

The Australian Olympic Committee has selected a 37-strong team across nine boats to contest the Olympic rowing regatta at the Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Sta...

www.olympics.com.au

With 23 women and 14 men, the squad features seven Olympic gold medallists and a further four who won bronze in Australian rowing’s famed ‘Hour of Power’ at Tokyo 2020.
....
The team enters Paris on a high after finishing on top of the medal tally at Rowing World Cup III in Poland earlier this month, where they claimed 11 medals out of 13 events, including six gold.
........

Last Olympics both men's and women's cox-less 4's won gold and both men's and women's Quad sculls won. It was an unusual result that the men's and women's events produced the same result

2023 Rowing World champs is a good indicator.

Won a bronze in the men's 8 and they are pushing hard to win for the first time ever. 3 of the 4 cox-less 4 team that won gold in Tokyo have moved up to the 8's. I saw the 8's in Sydney out at Penrith, lost to the Brits by 1/3rd of a boat length. I love the 8's. Was disappointed when we lost that day. Won bronze in 2004 but haven't really been close to a medal since, just making up the numbers in most finals, since Athens.

Women's cox-less pairs of Morrison and McIntyre won silver and have been in good form on the world circuit. They could take the next step. They won gold as part of the cox-less 4's in Tokyo.

Tara Rigney in the singles sculls won bronze and that would be a good result in Paris. Wont beat Emma Twigg of NZ who in Tokyo and the Dutch rower is a powerhouse.

The Women's 8 won bronze. I don't know much about them, but I don't think they will do much better than that.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Drummond Shane Rose made the equestrian team. Below says his 4th Games, but he went in 1996, but his horse was lame before competition started, so he didn't compete, and that's why the 7.30 story said he is going to his 5th Games.

Fox might have a little bit of competition for female flag bearer as show jumper Edwina Tops-Alexander is going to her 5th Games. Just checked Fox's schedule and Saturday arvo 3.50pm she has the heats of the K-1. McKeon has heats of 100m Saturday morning so she is definitely not doing it. Show jumping starts late first week.

Edit Shane Rose has a 3 Day Event - Dressage run at 9.30 Saturday morning so he probably is out of calculation for the men's.

History made in Australia's Equestrian Team for Paris 2024

The nine-member Australian equestrian team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games has been announced by the Australian Olympic Committee.

www.olympics.com.au

Edwina Tops-Alexander will make history as Australia’s first five-time Olympian showjumper after making her debut in Beijing 2008, while Tokyo silver medallist in Eventing Shane Rose has been selected for his fourth Games.

The team features four debutantes – two each in the Dressage and Jumping disciplines while the Eventing team of Chris Burton, Shane Rose and Kevin McNab have a total of six Games and five Olympic medals between them.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Only one Pentathlon athlete going - Janse van Rensburg.

Genevieve Janse van Rensburg to make Olympic debut in Modern Pentathlon

Twenty-year-old Genevieve (Gen) Janse van Rensburg will make her Olympic debut in Paris, with her selection today by the Australian Olympic Committee.

www.olympics.com.au

A men's volleyball pair selected takes team total to 369.

Carracher and Nicolaidis complete Australian Olympic Beach Volleyball squad for Paris

Izac Carracher and Mark Nicolaidis have been selected to the Australian Olympic Team for Paris, marking the first time Australia will have two men’s beach ...

www.olympics.com.au

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

How are our rowing and cycling chances looking

Didn't answer your cycling part.

Best chances on the track are the men's Team Sprint and Kerin, both won silver at 2023 world champs and Matthew Richardson was in both of these events.

Team Pursuit we finished 4th to NZ and could pinch a bronze, like in Tokyo when they had an incident, but wont get close to the Danes and Italians.

Also won a silver in women's Madison at last years world champs, but that is a crap shot event.

On the road, Luke Plapp might be able to do something to get him top 5 or top 10 if he gets good help from his teammates and Grace Brown won silver at 2023 road world champs in the time trial.

If Saya Sakakibara doesn't crash I think she will win the BMX women's event. She didn't win the 2023 world champs, but she won the 2023 World Cup season title over 10 different races, ranked #1 and won half the races and was on the podium 2 or 3 other times. She has won the 2024 World Cup title which was shortned because of the Olympics and won 4 of the 6 events and silver in the other 2.

Logan Martin will be a big chance to defend his BMX Freestyke Olympic title. Finished 2nd at 2023 World Champs.

Don't know anything much about the Mountain Bike team.

 

[gbear]

Final Boomers game before final 12 is named.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

ABC News saying Lauren Jackson is expected to be selected for Paris after another solid game against China last night.

 

[gbear]

ABC News saying Lauren Jackson is expected to be selected for Paris after another solid game against China last night.

Opals dominant last night against the world number 2 team.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Bit pissed off with this news that Cameron Meyers didn't get selected for the 1500m. He is the future.

Stewart McSweyn is good on the athletics circuit in Europe where you have pacemakers set up fast times. McSweyn hasn't delivered in any of his big international finals, plus he will be selected for the 5000m.

I know its not official yet but Zach Gates has good info as 9's Olympic athletics reporter.

Young gun overlooked in crunch Aussie selection call

Three runners selected for Paris Olympics

www.nine.com.au

Olympic finalists Oliver Hoare and Stewart McSweyn and up-and-comer Adam Spencer feature on a three-man Australian team set to contest the men's 1500m track event at the Paris Games.

It means the hopes of 18-year-old prodigy Cameron Myers making his Olympic debut in Paris are over.
......

 

[PoopingHindi]

Bit pissed off with this news that Cameron Meyers didn't get selected for the 1500m. He is the future.

Stewart McSweyn is good on the athletics circuit in Europe where you have pacemakers set up fast times. McSweyn hasn't delivered in any of his big international finals, plus he will be selected for the 5000m.

I know its not official yet but Zach Gates has good info as 9's Olympic athletics reporter.

Young gun overlooked in crunch Aussie selection call

Three runners selected for Paris Olympics

www.nine.com.au

Olympic finalists Oliver Hoare and Stewart McSweyn and up-and-comer Adam Spencer feature on a three-man Australian team set to contest the men's 1500m track event at the Paris Games.

It means the hopes of 18-year-old prodigy Cameron Myers making his Olympic debut in Paris are over.
......

They picked the 3 fastest in the qualifying period so I’m not mad but they didn’t use the same logic when picking the women’s marathon team.
Once again things have worked out in favour of the MTC/Nic Bideau athlete which is a recurring theme over the years.
I was hoping Stewy would run the 5000 (he may still double) which would open up the spot for Myers.

Cam is still young, he’ll get his chance.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

They picked the 3 fastest in the qualifying period so I’m not mad but they didn’t use the same logic when picking the women’s marathon team.
Once again things have worked out in favour of the MTC/Nic Bideau athlete which is a recurring theme over the years.
I was hoping Stewy would run the 5000 (he may still double) which would open up the spot for Myers.

Cam is still young, he’ll get his chance.

But McSweyn and Spencer ran the faster qualifying times in July 2023. Cam did it this year. Yeah I know the qualifying period started 1st July 2023

Yes he's young, but the experience would have been great for him and who knows what it would do for his longer term confidence

These are the fastest times in 2024 - all of them so includes multiple times by each athlete - I have gone down to 200th.

Olympic Entry standard: 3:33.50

World Athletics | 1500 Metres - men - senior - all - 2024

worldathletics.org

Rank	Mark	WIND	Competitor	DOB	Nat	Pos		Venue	Date	Results Score

8

3:31.08

Oliver HOARE

29 JAN 1997

AUS

6

Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR)

30 MAY 2024

1229

29

3:33.30

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

1f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1198

46

3:33.64

Jesse HUNT

28 JUL 1998

AUS

2f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1193

63

3:33.93

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

2f

Parc des Sports C. Ehrmann, Nice (FRA)

15 JUN 2024

1189

99

3:34.42

Jye EDWARDS

06 MAR 1998

AUS

4f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1183

114

3:34.55

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

1

SA Athletic Stadium, Adelaide (AUS)

10 FEB 2024

1181

126

3:34.73

Oliver HOARE

29 JAN 1997

AUS

1

Drake Stadium, Los Angeles, CA (USA)

18 MAY 2024

1178

154

3:35.14

Callum DAVIES

18 JUL 1999

AUS

5f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1173

175

3:35.37

Jack ANSTEY

08 APR 1997

AUS

7f

Parc des Sports C. Ehrmann, Nice (FRA)

15 JUN 2024

1169

182

3:35.44

Stewart MCSWEYN

01 JUN 1995

AUS

1f1

Stadion De Veen, Heusden-Zolder (BEL)

15 JUN 2024

1168

197

3:35.59

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

8

Drake Stadium, Los Angeles, CA (USA)

18 MAY 2024

1166

Results from the National championships in April in Adelaide. Adam Spencewr does get marks for travelling from the USA college commitments for the championships. Cam had already had a big domestic season by April.


1500m · Men · Senior · Final 13/04/2024, 16:10
Place Athlete Club/School Bib no. Result
1 Adam Spencer (2001)AUS VIC 3:37.68 SB
2 Oliver Hoare (1997)AUS NSW 3:37.83 SB
3 Jesse Hunt (1998)AUS WA 3:37.88
4 Stewart McSweyn (1995)AUS TAS 3:38.66
5 Cameron Myers (2006)AUS ACT 3:38.74
6 Jack Anstey (1997)AUS QLD 3:38.94 SB


Road to Paris page https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7153115?eventId=10229502

QP	CP	Nat	Athlete	Status	Details

15

1

AUS

Oliver HOARE

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.08 - Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR) - 30 MAY 2024

18

2

AUS

Stewart MCSWEYN

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.42 - Olympic Stadium, London (GBR) - 23 JUL 2023

21

3

AUS

Adam SPENCER

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.81 - Olympic Stadium, London (GBR) - 23 JUL 2023

 

[PoopingHindi]

But McSweyn and Spencer ran the faster qualifying times in July 2023. Cam did it this year. Yeah I know the qualifying period started 1st July 2023

Yes he's young, but the experience would have been great for him and who knows what it would do for his longer term confidence

These are the fastest times in 2024 - all of them so includes multiple times by each athlete - I have gone down to 200th.

Olympic Entry standard: 3:33.50

World Athletics | 1500 Metres - men - senior - all - 2024

worldathletics.org

Rank	Mark	WIND	Competitor	DOB	Nat	Pos		Venue	Date	Results Score

8

3:31.08

Oliver HOARE

29 JAN 1997

AUS

6

Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR)

30 MAY 2024

1229

29

3:33.30

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

1f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1198

46

3:33.64

Jesse HUNT

28 JUL 1998

AUS

2f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1193

63

3:33.93

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

2f

Parc des Sports C. Ehrmann, Nice (FRA)

15 JUN 2024

1189

99

3:34.42

Jye EDWARDS

06 MAR 1998

AUS

4f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1183

114

3:34.55

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

1

SA Athletic Stadium, Adelaide (AUS)

10 FEB 2024

1181

126

3:34.73

Oliver HOARE

29 JAN 1997

AUS

1

Drake Stadium, Los Angeles, CA (USA)

18 MAY 2024

1178

154

3:35.14

Callum DAVIES

18 JUL 1999

AUS

5f1

The Crest Athletics Centre, Bankstown, Sydney (AUS)

22 FEB 2024

1173

175

3:35.37

Jack ANSTEY

08 APR 1997

AUS

7f

Parc des Sports C. Ehrmann, Nice (FRA)

15 JUN 2024

1169

182

3:35.44

Stewart MCSWEYN

01 JUN 1995

AUS

1f1

Stadion De Veen, Heusden-Zolder (BEL)

15 JUN 2024

1168

197

3:35.59

Cameron MYERS

09 JUN 2006

AUS

8

Drake Stadium, Los Angeles, CA (USA)

18 MAY 2024

1166

Results from the National championships in April in Adelaide. Adam Spencewr does get marks for travelling from the USA college commitments for the championships. Cam had already had a big domestic season by April.


1500m · Men · Senior · Final 13/04/2024, 16:10
Place Athlete Club/School Bib no. Result
1 Adam Spencer (2001)AUS VIC 3:37.68 SB
2 Oliver Hoare (1997)AUS NSW 3:37.83 SB
3 Jesse Hunt (1998)AUS WA 3:37.88
4 Stewart McSweyn (1995)AUS TAS 3:38.66
5 Cameron Myers (2006)AUS ACT 3:38.74
6 Jack Anstey (1997)AUS QLD 3:38.94 SB


Road to Paris page https://worldathletics.org/stats-zone/road-to/7153115?eventId=10229502

QP	CP	Nat	Athlete	Status	Details

15

1

AUS

Oliver HOARE

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.08 - Bislett Stadion, Oslo (NOR) - 30 MAY 2024

18

2

AUS

Stewart MCSWEYN

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.42 - Olympic Stadium, London (GBR) - 23 JUL 2023

21

3

AUS

Adam SPENCER

Qualified by Entry Standard

3:31.81 - Olympic Stadium, London (GBR) - 23 JUL 2023

I agree you can find reasons to pick him and I was hoping they would but I’m fine with the 3 they chose.
Hoare and Spencer are a lock and Stewy has run faster and beaten him head to head twice.
Myers is an incredible talent but he’s still just a 3:33 guy and that PB came 12 months ago so his progression has slowed.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

This is more general Oz Olympics stuff than athlete.

2024-25 Budget - well 4 days before the budget was the delivered, the government announced it's budget would invest $249.7m into upgrading the AIS after its fallen out of favour the last decade. There was talk that new facilities would be built in SE Qld in the lead up to Brisbane

ASC welcomes major boost for AIS

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) welcomes today’s announcement from the Australian Government to upgrade the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) in Canberra.

www.ais.gov.au

Prime Minister The Hon Anthony Albanese visited the AIS campus to announce the $249.7 million investment to upgrade AIS facilities to ensure they are modern and world-leading. The funding follows the recently completed Independent Review of AIS Infrastructure which recommended that the AIS Campus remains in Canberra.

The funding will be focused on three facilities:

• a 192 bed multi-story and fully para-accessible accommodation building
• a large indoor Sport Dome that will provide 24/7 all-weather training facilities for track and field sports
• a new Testing and Training Centre to provide state-of-the-art equipment and support for our athletes’ development.

ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said the announcement is a game changer for our athletes ahead of the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.........

The budget also included

ASC welcomes Federal Budget’s continued investment to sport

ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM has welcomed the Australian Government’s commitment to the continuation of critical national sport programs announced in tonight’s Federal Budget.

www.sportaus.gov.au

The 2024-25 Federal Budget includes more than $97 million over two years to the ASC to extend Sporting Schools, the Local Sporting Champions, and Local Para Champions programs, and participation funding to help more Australians get active.

“Once again, I want to thank Minister Wells and the Australian Government for their continued support and investment in Australian sport,” Mr Perkins said. “This funding extends critical sport participation programs like the Participation Grant program and Sporting Schools which provides free and fun sporting opportunities to more than two million students each year.” ...................

Last Friday the government announced major new $283m funding for both elite sports and new para funding, preparing for LA 2028. Government has provided 2 x $102.8m grant last 2 years for elite sports funding.

ASC welcomes record investment in Olympic and Paralympic sport

The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) has thanked the Australian Government for their record $283 million investment in sport over the next two years which lays the foundation for sustainable success in the lead up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games and beyond.

www.sportaus.gov.au

Prime Minister The Hon Anthony Albanese and Minister for Sport, The Hon Anika Wells, joined dozens of athletes, including Olympic legend Cate Campbell, at the Australian Institute of Sport in Canberra to make the announcement this morning.

The investment announced today is in addition to the $102.8 million annual grant funding, free support services, and subsidised access to the AIS facilities the ASC provides to national sporting organisations and high performance athletes.
Together, total investment in high performance sport will be $489 million over the next two years.

The $283 million investment will support athletes, coaches, and support staff over the first two years of the four-year cycle to the LA 2028 Games and includes the biggest ever Paralympic spend to address systemic and structural barriers to performance for para athletes.

The $54.9 million additional para sport funding, doubling the existing support, will address better classification opportunities, access to fit-for-purpose training environments, and specialised coaching and performance support.

The historic investment also gives athletes, coaches, and staff the opportunity to achieve their full potential by providing:

• An investment of $17.6 million over two years to the Direct Athlete Investment Support Grants (dAIS) program to address cost of living pressures.
• Extra training, wellbeing, and preparation support, including access to world leading coaches and performance support staff.
• Access to more domestic and international competitions to regularly compete against the world’s best in preparation for major sporting events.

ASC CEO Kieren Perkins OAM said today’s announcement, made just weeks out from the Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games, was a sign of confidence in Australian sport.

“Thanks to the Australian Government, our Olympians and Paralympians will head to Paris with the backing of the biggest ever investment in high performance sport,” Mr Perkins said. “Australian high performance sport is more united than ever before under our shared commitment to win well, and I’m proud this has been recognised through today’s announcement.
“We especially welcome the increased investment in para-sport which will reduce inequality and allow our para athletes to make the most of their talents.

“I would like to thank the Australian Government for its commitment to sport and providing our athletes the platform to win well and inspire the next generation of more active Australians on the road to LA, Brisbane, and beyond.”

https://www.pm.gov.au/media/gold-medal-investment-our-elite-athletes

Quotes attributable to Minister for Sport Anika Wells​

“This is the biggest investment any government has made in our Olympic and Paralympic sports and will help athletes achieve glory on world stages.

“Today’s commitment brings the Albanese Government’s sport announcements in this Budget to $753.1m, including the $249.7 million investment to revitalise the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) campus in Canberra.

“We have also committed $200m to the Play Our Way fund, the biggest infrastructure program ever for women and girls sport, and invested more than $20m in the Netball World Cup and Women’s Asian Cup.

“We’re giving our future Olympic and Paralympic teams what they need to succeed with upgraded training facilities, the best coaching and support staff and cost-of-living assistance.

“We’ll all be cheering on the Green and Gold in a few weeks when Paris 24 begins and this funding again proves the Albanese Government is committed to sport – from playground to podium.”

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

This article from sports historian Greg Blood gives a good account of the Oz government extra funding after Sydney won the hosting rights in September 1993. The ‘Olympic Athlete Program‘ (OAP) was introduced by the AOC and the government accepted the funding request but AOC had to provide $52m on top between 1994 and 2000.

This article gives excellent break down over 6 years of where the OAP funding of $138m went to as well as a table of base funding each Olympic sports got over each of those 6 years.

Revisiting Olympic Athlete Program & Paralympic Preparation Program (1994-2000)

By Greg Blood It is worthwhile revisiting the Olympic Athlete Program (OAP) and Paralympic Preparation Program (PPP) with the strong likelihood of Brisbane and South East Queensland hosting the 203…

australiansportreflections.com

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

9 more Aussies named in the team. I make it 378 as last night it was 369 on the AOC website, but AOC Team page says 377, so not sure if someone has withdrawn.

History making BMX Freestyle, BMX Racing and Mountain Bike Cross-Country Team named for Paris 2024

Six BMX and Mountain Bike athletes have been selected for the Australian Olympic Team, completing the 25-strong Australian Cycling Team for Paris.

www.olympics.com.au

Olivia Gadecki added to Australian Olympic Tennis Team while Chris O'Connell withdraws

Official site of the Australian Olympic Committee. Profiles and results for every Australian Olympian. News on all sports and a history on all previous Olympic Games.

www.olympics.com.au

Olivia Gadecki added to Australian Olympic Tennis Team while Chris O'Connell withdraws

Official site of the Australian Olympic Committee. Profiles and results for every Australian Olympian. News on all sports and a history on all previous Olympic Games.

www.olympics.com.au