The 30th Olympic Games, to be held in Tokyo from Friday (23 July), are to welcome 15 Australian athletes from the Australian Capital Territory.
Minister for Sport and Recreation, Yvette Berry said the ACT athletes would join the second largest Australian Team ever of 488 athletes, with 261 women and 227 men to compete across 33 sports.
Ms Berry said that for ACT athletes Patty Mills (Basketball) and Daniel McConnell (Mountain Bike) the Tokyo Games, to run until 8 August, would be their fourth Olympics and seven athletes would be making their Olympic debut.
“Six of those selected are current ACT Academy of Sport (ACTAS) supported athletes with many others having graduated from ACTAS,” Ms Berry said.
“Athletes will be representing Australia across a range of sports including athletics, basketball, rowing, cycling, hockey, softball and swimming,” she said.
“Creating history as the first Indigenous Australian to carry the flag, Patty will join with swimmer Cate Campbell as dual Australian flag bearers in the opening ceremony on the 23 July.”
Ms Berry said Paralympic athlete selections would be announced later this month, with those Games to run from 24 August to 5 September.
The Minister said the 15 ACT athletes bound for the Games were Kelsey-Lee Barber (Athletics); Nathan Hart (Track Cycling); Jye Edwards (Athletics); Daniel McConnell (Mountain Bike); Angeline Blackburn (Athletics); Rebecca McConnell (Mountain Bike); Marianna Tolo (Basketball); Andrew Charter (Hockey); Patty Mills (Basketball); Edwina Bone (Hockey); Lydia Williams (Football); Clare Warwick (Softball); Luke Letcher (Rowing); Caleb Antill (Rowing); and Jessica Hansen (Swimming).
“We would like to wish all the athletes and staff best of luck at the Tokyo Olympic Games,” she said.
