Big Australian team for world athletics

Australia is set to be represented in London by its biggest team for an athletics world championships.

Australian athlete Jared Tallent (L) and his wife Claire

Claire Tallent will join husband Jared on the Australia team for the world athletics championships. (AAP)

Walker Claire Tallent will join her superstar husband Jared on the Australian team for next month's world championships little more than two months after giving birth to their first son.

Claire Tallent replaces her injured sister-in-law Rachel Tallent in a squad which could well end up being the biggest to represent Australia at an edition of the biennial world titles.

Forty-nine athletes have been confirmed in the squad headlined by hurdler Sally Pearson and Jared Tallent, with more certain to be added in the next few days through the roll-down process, which seeks to guarantee full fields in each event.

The 36-year-old Claire Tallent - a silver medallist at the 2010 Commonwealth Games - missed selection for the Rio Olympics, although she still went to the 2016 Games as her husband's coach.

She resumed training only a few days after the birth of baby Harvey in late May.

A vacancy in the women's 20km walk for the London world championships opened up when her sister-in-law and Rio Olympian Rachel withdrew due to injury.

Jared and Claire Tallent are currently training at altitude in St Moritz, Switzerland.

As a multiple Olympic and world championships medallist, 50km expert Jared Tallent is among Australia's best hopes at the August 4-13 world championships.

Having overcome a series of injuries, 2011 world champ and 2012 Olympics gold medallist Pearson will also fancy her chances of a podium finish in the 100m hurdles.

Javelin thrower Kathryn Mitchell and 2009 discus world champion Dani Stevens are other genuine medal contenders.

Among the many new faces on the squad are rising middle-distance star Georgia Griffith, who will do the 800m-1500m double, and teenager Ella Connolly.

The 17-year-old Connolly starred at the recent Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, earning her a spot in the 4x400m relay squad.

The biggest team Australia has sent to a world titles was 54 at the 1999 event in Seville.

"In the first year of an Olympic cycle, (the size of the 2017 squad) is a commendable result," said chairman of selectors Dion Russell.

"We also have 20 debutants from the Olympic Games in Rio last year returning to compete for Australia again, ensuring that we are likely to see a competitive few months ahead as athletes seek nomination for selection to the Australian Commonwealth Games team."

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETICS SQUAD (with more to be named)

Women

200m: Ella Nelson

400m: Morgan Mitchell

800m: Georgia Griffith

1500m: Zoe Buckman, Georgia Griffith, Linden Hall

5000m: Madeline Hills, Eloise Wellings

10000m: Madeline Hills, Eloise Wellings

100m hurdles: Sally Pearson

400m hurdles: Lauren Wells

3000m steeplechase: Genevieve La Caze

Long jump: Brooke Stratton

Discus: Dani Stevens

Javelin: Kathryn Mitchell, Kelsey-Lee Roberts

20km walk: Regan Lamble, Beki Smith, Claire Tallent

Marathon: Milly Clark, Sinead Diver, Jess Trengove

4x400m relay: Ella Connolly, Morgan Mitchell, Ella Nelson, Anneliese Rubie, Jess Thornton, Lauren Wells

Men

400m: Steve Solomon

800m: Peter Bol

1500m: Ryan Gregson, Luke Mathews

5000m: Morgan McDonald, Sam McEntee, Patrick Tiernan

10,000m: Patrick Tiernan

110m hurdles: Nick Hough

Long jump: Henry Frayne, Fabrice Lapierre

Pole vault: Kurtis Marschall

Shot put: Damien Birkenhead

Javelin: Hamish Peacock

Decathlete: Cedric Dubler

20km walk: Dane Bird-Smith, Rhydian Cowley

50km Walk: Jared Tallent

Marathon: Jack Colreavy, Josh Harris, Brad Milosevic

4x100m relay: Nick Andrews, Rohan Browning, Tom Gamble, Alex Hartmann, Trae Williams


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Source: AAP



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