Red-hot Brandon Starc shapes as the man to beat in the men's high jump after being named among a 28-strong Australian contingent in the Asia-Pacific team for the upcoming Continental Cup in Ostrava.
Starc has enjoyed the best season of his life, winning gold at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in April and equalling Tim Forsyth's 21-year-old national record of 2.36m last weekend in Germany.
The only two people ranked above him in 2018 are reigning world champion Mutaz Essa Barshim from Qatar, who is injured, and Russian Danil Lysenko, who has been suspended following a whereabouts violation of the anti-doping code.
It will be a busy end to the European summer season for the 24-year-old, who has also qualified for the Diamond League final in Brussels on Friday (early Saturday AEST).
All Diamond League event winners pocket $US50,000 ($A68,400).
"This is by far the longest season I've ever had and by far the best season I've ever had," Starc told AAP from Brussels.
"I've never jumped this many times over 2.30m in one season.
"It doesn't really matter how long it's been going - if I'm jumping well I'm jumping well and I'm going to try and keep that going for the last two comps.
"In the past I haven't looked like the favourite going into many big comps.
"I don't really read too much into it, I just need to go out there and compete - just let the performance do the talking."
Other highly-credentialed Australians in the Jana Pittman-coached Asia-Pacific squad for the Continental Cup include Dani Stevens, the discus silver medallist at the 2017 world championships, long jumpers Henry Frayne and Brooke Stratton and pole vaulter Kurtis Marschall.
Their teammates include reigning shot put world champions Tomas Walsh (New Zealand) and Gong Lijiao (China) and Salwa Eid Naser from Bahrain, who finished second in the women's 400m at the 2017 world titles.
Australians in the Asia-Oceania team for the September 8-9 Continental Cup in Ostrava:
Men
1500m: Ryan Gregson
3000m: Stewart McSweyn
High jump: Brandon Starc
Pole vault: Kurtis Marschall
Long jump: Henry Frayne
Shot put :Damien Birkinhead
Discus: Matthew Denny
4x100m: Aaron Bresland, Jake Doran, Jin Su Jung, Matt Lynch, Trae Williams
Mixed 4x400m: Murray Goodwin, Ben Offereins, Joshua Ralph, Steve Solomon
Women
800m: Brittany McGowan
1500m: Linden Hall
3000m: Genevieve LaCaze
100m hurdles: Michelle Jenneke
High jump: Nicola McDermott
Pole vault: Lisa Campbell
Long jump: Brooke Stratton
Discus: Dani Stevens
Hammer throw: Alex Hulley
Javelin: Kelsey-Lee Roberts
Mixed 4x400m: Ella Connolly, Anneliese Rubie
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