Gout Gout Headlines Record Australian Athletics Squad For World Championships

All eyes will beryllium connected Gout Gout erstwhile he makes his elder nationalist squad debut adjacent week aft nan 17-year-old was confirmed among a grounds 88 athletes successful Australia’s squad for nan world championships successful Tokyo.

After a record-breaking individual play that has attracted world attention, nan teen will make his elder nationalist squad debut arsenic portion of an breathtaking young sprint squad featuring nan likes of Rohan Browning, Joshua Azzopardi and Torrie Lewis.

All 5 nationalist relay teams person besides qualified for nan championships, which statesman adjacent Saturday and tally for 9 days, for nan first clip successful history.

The squad announced connected Wednesday is nan biggest sent to a world championships by Australia, and contains a number of genuine badge hopes.

Nicola Olyslagers, caller from claiming nan Diamond League precocious jump crown past week, will caput to Tokyo arsenic 1 of Australia’s champion chances of winning a medal. The double Olympic metallic medallist’s winning leap of 2.04cm successful Zurich was a nationalist grounds and nan champion jump successful nan world this year.

Five different Paris Olympic medallists person been included successful nan team: reigning Olympic and world champion Nina Kennedy, in-form discus thrower Matthew Denny, title walker Rhydian Cowley, mediate region runner Jessica Hull and 2022 world precocious jump champion Eleanor Patterson.

Jessica Hull won metallic successful nan 1500m astatine nan Paris Olympics successful 2024. Photograph: Hannah Peters/Getty Images

The squad is simply a blend of younker and experience, pinch nan world No 4 rod vaulter Kurtis Marschall and fifth-ranked agelong jumper Liam Adcock featuring alongside 9 medallists from nan Under-20 world championships, including Gout, 800m sensation Claudia Hollingsworth (20), agelong jumper Delta Amidzovski and agelong region runner Cameron Myers (both 19).

But Australia will beryllium without Jemima Montag – a genuine badge chance successful nan title locomotion – and Lachie Kennedy, who became conscionable nan 2nd Australian sprinter to grounds a ineligible sub-10 2nd 100m this year. Both pulled retired pinch injuries successful a awesome rustle conscionable weeks retired from nan championships.

Andrew Faichney, nan wide head of precocious capacity astatine Australian Athletics, said nan size and calibre of nan squad showed really acold nan athletics has come, some connected nan way successful a broader sense.

“We’ve witnessed a existent shift, not conscionable successful performance, but successful nationalist relevance,” Faichney said. “This squad reflects that change. They’re world people athletes pinch nan results to match, but conscionable arsenic importantly, they’re carrying nan momentum of a athletics that has truthful overmuch belief down it.

“From podiums to grassroots, we’re seeing nan power of this procreation of athletes. They’re showing what’s possible.”