Aussie athletics stars picked for Paris as 68-year hope builds

It is a genuine possibility that in Paris this year Australia will pile up its highest medal tally in athletics at an Olympic Games since 1956.

Many of Australia’s top medal prospects were selected for the Paris Games in Adelaide on Sunday evening, following the conclusion of open competition at the national athletics titles.

The field athletes picked were high jumpers Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson, discus giant Matt Denny and long jumper Chris Mitrevski.

So it is absolutely feasible that Australia could take home more than six medals for the first time since Melbourne 1956, when sprinting legend Betty Cuthbert led a phenomenal charge on home soil.

Australia’s seven global medallists are Olyslagers, Patterson, Nina Kennedy, Kelsey-Lee Barber, Mackenzie Little, Jemima Montag and Kurtis Marschall. Kennedy and Marschall, who weren’t named on Sunday, will be close to the Games.

“We’ve got some fantastic athletes who are already right at that medal level,” Athletics Australia high-performance boss Andrew Faichney told Wide World of Sports.

“You’ve got to be positive about that [the team’s chances of posting its highest medal tally since Melbourne 1956].

“We had our best world championships last year, so I think we’re certainly on track for that.