Fresh from the 100th edition of the Australian Track and Field Championships, Athletics Australia confirmed nine athletes for the upcoming competition in Budapest, with further additions to follow in the coming weeks.
Olympic silver medallist Nicola Olyslagers (née McDermott) will take part in the women’s high jump, with Commonwealth Games gold medallists Jemima Montag (women’s 20km race walk) and Matthew Denny (men’s discus throw) also on board.
Commonwealth Games silver medallists Brooke Buschkuehl (née Stratton) and Declan Tingay (men’s 20km race walk) also made the squad, as did three-time 2023 national champion Jessica Hull (women’s 1500m), Michelle Jenneke (women’s 100m hurdles), Kyle Swan and Rebecca Henderson (20km race walk).
The World Championships take place at the perfect time for Australia’s elite athletes, who will look to produce their very best just one year out from the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris.
Buschkuehl, in particular, enjoyed a world-leading end to 2022 and is hoping to win her first international medal after narrowly missing out in the women’s long jump final in Eugene.
“The number one goal for me is to medal. After being two centimetres off in Eugene, I think it’s more than reasonable to have that goal,” Buschkuehl said, referencing her 2022 World Athletics Championships campaign.
“There’s something about a major championships that brings out the best in me. I thrive when I compete amongst the best in the world but it all depends on my preparation.
“I’ve been consistent with my results for a long time now and I felt like last year was going to be the year, but I fell short. All this consistency and results, I know I can be on the podium.
“I’ve just got to keep believing that is where I belong and that’s where I can be.”
Athletics Australia’s general manager of high performance, Andrew Faichney, was pleased to announce the first phase of selections and hopes the nation can build on past performances.
“It’s a huge honour to represent Australia at the World Championships, but particularly so a year out from an Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Faichney said.
“The athletes selected so far for our Budapest team are all such strong athletes and have no doubt that they can match or even better the best in the world, and I look forward to seeing each of them continue their momentum from Tokyo and Oregon.”
SBS will provide complete coverage of the event from August 19-27, with highlights and replays also available via SBS On Demand and the SBS Sport website.
