luge | Australian Biathlon News

PyeongChang Olympics are go!

February 10, 2018 · by Australian Biathlon

Unfortunately Australia did not secure a Wild Card entry in biathlon for the Olympic Winter Games at PyeongChang 2018, however we’re already planning for the Beijing Games in 2022!

In the meantime, we’ll be following the biathlon events at PyeongChang, which begin with the Women 7.5 km Sprint at 10pm tonight AEDT.

Big shout out to the Australian Olympic Team for PyeongChang 2018, especially the our skinny ski cousins in the cross country events, which also begin today!

Here’s some Australian Olympic Team 2018 info, retrans from http://www.pyeongchang2018.olympics.com.au, check out detailed team info there and #GoAUS! :

Team Size

The Australian Olympic Team for PyeongChang is made up of 51 athletes (check them all out here>>>).

This is the 2nd largest Australian Olympic Team at a Winter Games behind Sochi 2014 (60).

Gender Breakdown

There are 28 men and 23 women on the Team.

PyeongChang is Winter Olympic Games number XXIII (23)

5th Olympic Games

Lydia Lassila (Freestyle Skiing – aerials)

4th Olympic Games

Holly Crawford (Snowboard – halfpipe)

3rd Olympic Games

David Morris
Britt Cox
Scotty James
Alex Pullin
Barbara Jezersek (twice for Slovenia)

2nd Olympic Games – 24

Olympic rookies – 20

Olympic Medallists

Lydia Lassila – Vancouver 2010 gold, Sochi 2014 bronze
David Morris – Sochi 2014 silver

Current World Champions

Britt Cox – 2017
Scotty James – 2017

Youth Olympians

Greta Small – Innsbruck 2012
Harry Laidlaw – Innsbruck 2012
Emily Arthur – Lillehammer 2016

Age of the Team

Average age = 25 23 and under = 22 (43.1%)

Indigenous Athletes

Harley Windsor – Australia’s first indigenous Winter Olympian

Where the athletes were born

NSW 21

VIC 14

QLD 4

WA 3

SA 1

ACT 1

Overseas 7

Athlete relations on the 2018 Team

– Callum Watson (cross country skiing) and Aimee Watson (cross country skiing) – brother/sister

Athletes with Olympian relatives

Jackie Narracott (skeleton): Paul Narracott (uncle) – 1984 Los Angeles (athletics) & 1992 Albertville (bobsleigh)

Brendan Kerry (figure skating): Monica McDonald (mother) – 1984 Sarajevo (figure skating)

Prior medals won

Before PyeongChang 2018, Australia has won 5 gold, 3 silver, 4 bronze in Winter Olympic competition.

Asian Winter Games are Go!

February 19, 2017 · by Australian Biathlon

The Asian Winter Games are go!

Pictured is the first group of the Australian Team, including biathletes Jill Colebourn (front, third from right) and Jeremy Flanagan (back, second from right). Pic thanks to the Olympic Winter Institute of Australia.

As reported last September, Australia’s inclusion is a boost for a number of up-and-coming and established Australian winter athletes who will get the chance to test themselves against the best Asia has to offer.

“Being able to compete at such a high level is the only way our athletes will continue to get better,” said Biathlon Australia president Grant Flanagan who was also a key figure in Oceania being added to the event.

“We hope to be sending a strong team that will no doubt get a massive amount out of what is set to be a high quality competition.”

Australia will be able to compete in all individual events which include skiing (alpine, freestyle and cross country), snowboarding, biathlon, speed skating, figure skating, luge and bobsled.

An invite was afforded to all Oceania nations after Australian Olympic Committee President John Coates wrote to the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) requesting Australia be a part of the eighth edition of the event.

“The Asian Winter Games have become a very high level competition with over 30 National Olympic Committees taking part,” OCA General Director General Husain Al Musallam said.

“Oceania is a neighbouring confederation for Asia and we welcome not only Australia but all Oceania to take the opportunity to enter for the first time, as a guest but with no medals. We will evaluate the situation after that.”

Australia has continued its steady progression in winter sports in recent years and the chance for a contingent of athletes to gain more international experience can only further aid development.

The 2017 Games will feature a total of 64 events across 11 sports with Australia able to compete in all but the ice hockey and curling competitions.

The event will be hosted for the third time in Sapporo with Japan’s fourth largest city having also held the first two editions of the Games in 1986 and 1990. The rest of the competitions have been contested in China, South Korea and Kazakhstan.

Biathlon events start on Thursday 23 February with Sprint races, followed by the Pursuit on 24 February and a Mixed Relay on 25 February.

#GoAUS!

Australia set to make Asian Winter Games debut

September 26, 2016 · by Australian Biathlon

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2017 is the first-ever opportunity for Australian Winter athletes to take part in the Asian Winter Games, an event held only every four years

Retrans from: http://corporate.olympics.com.au/

Australian athletes will get their first opportunity to compete at the Asian Winter Games after being invited to the 2017 event to be held in Sapporo, Japan in February.

Australia’s inclusion will be a boost for a number of up-and-coming and established Australian winter athletes who will get the chance to test themselves against the best Asia has to offer.