The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) announced the selection at the conclusion of the Australian Athletics Championships on Sunday night.
Setting more than 20 national records since Tokyo 2020, Jessica Hull set a new Australian Athletics Championship record on Saturday in the 1500m, with Bankstown Sports Athletics Club President Col Whitbread describing it as a “comprehensive victory”.
“Jess is an unbelievable athlete and she is over the moon with her Paris Olympic selection,” he said.
“The club couldn’t be prouder; we have watched her develop as a young teenager and going on to win the Australian Juniors through to the World Juniors Athletics Championships during her evolution and this is the next step.
“Words can’t describe how proud we are of Eleanor too who is a World champion, Australian champion, Commonwealth Games silver medallist; we wish them both all the best in Paris.”
Others making the team are Olympic finalists Peter Bol and Matt Denny, race walking champion Rhydian Cowley, Tokyo Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers, World Championship silver medallist Jemima Montag, Kyle Swan, Michelle Jenneke and Rebecca Henderson – all making their second Games.
National 10,000m champion Lauren Ryan, 800m champion Claudia Hollingsworth, long jumper Chris Mitrevski and 800m runner Abbey Caldwell will all make their Games debut.
The announcement takes the selected Australian Olympic Team size to 55 of an expected final team of 460 to 480 athletes.
Australian Olympic team Chef de Mission Anna Meares congratulated the athletes.
“These athletes have medalled on the global stage and run faster, throw further and jump higher than any other Australians in history,” she said.
Duo off to Paris
Jessica Hull and Eleanor Patterson.
BANKSTOWN Sports Athletics Club’s Olympic finalist Jessica Hull and former high jump World Champion Eleanor Patterson have been named among the first 14 track and field athletes to be selected for the Australian Olympic Team heading to the Paris Olympic Games in July.
