The Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) on Monday declared the list of 472 athletes who will represent the country in the Tokyo Olympics starting July 23.
The list features the Hockeyroos and Kookaburras, world No. 1 tennis player Ashleigh Barty, young freestyle swimmer Arianne Titmus, javelin thrower Kesley Lee-Barber and footballer Sam Kerr captaining the Matildas.
The team comprises of 218 men and 254 women, out of which 16 are indigenous. This is the largest number of women and indigenous athletes Australia has lined up for an Olympics.
The Tokyo-bound team is the second-largest Olympic contingent of Australia. It is just 10 short of the 482 athletes who participated in the 2004 Olympics at Athens. Australia will take part in 33 sports, including the new Olympics sports — karate, skateboarding, sports climbing and surfing.
Australia’s chef de mission for Tokyo Ian Chesterman said, “This has been extremely difficult for every athlete and each has their own individual story to tell. But they have made it. Through their determination and commitment, they are going to Tokyo. Even before these Games are declared Open on July 23, this Australian team has made its own history. They are a special Team and Australians can be very proud of them.”
At the 2016 Rio Olympics, Australia finished 10th with 29 medals (eight gold, 11 silver, and 10 bronze), their lowest medal tally and rank since the Barcelona Olympics in 1992.
