A record number of newcomers seeking spots on the Australian Olympic Committee board evidences a mood for change, presidency candidate Danni Roche says.
Roche's bid to oust incumbent president John Coates appears to have emboldened others, with seven newcomers vying for board positions.
"The number of nominations shows that there is growing momentum for change," Roche said in a statement to AAP on Thursday.
Triple Olympic gold medallist Rechelle Hawkes and other Olympians are among fresh candidates for the executive board.
Roche is the first challenger to Coates' presidency since he took the role 27 years ago.
"An open field of strong candidates for all board positions is good for the renewal of the Olympic movement in Australia," Roche said.
"The AOC belongs to its member sports, from the largest to the smallest.
"I am delighted that AOC's members feel empowered to nominate the next generation of leaders from within their own sports."
There are three nominations for the two vice-president positions, with AOC executive member Andrew Plympton hitching his vice-president bid to Roche's challenge.
Current vice-presidents Helen Brownlee and Ian Chesterman have nominated to keep their roles.
Hawkes, a four-time Olympian, has been nominated by Hockey Australia - the same body which has pitched Roche, a hockey gold medallist at the 1996 Games.
Former Olympic cyclist Tracey Gaudry, dual Olympic fencer Evelyn Halls, two-time Olympic diver Michael Murphy, Olympic baseballer David Hynes and Australian Sailing president Matt Allen are other newcomers vying for the seven executive positions.
Incumbents Mark Arbib, Craig Carracher, Kitty Chiller, Nicole Livingstone and Danielle Woodward are seeking re-election.
But Nick Green, who was replaced as Australia's Olympic team chef de mission after overseeing the troubled 2012 London Games campaign, will relinquish his board position.
The AOC annual general meeting on May 6 in Sydney will decide the board and vote on the presidency.
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