WAIS-AIS sprint kayak athletes Alana Nicholls, Jesse Phillips and Stephen Bird have today been officially selected by the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) for the 2012 London Olympic Games.
The trio will make their Olympic debuts in London, as part of the 16-strong team, with Nicholls to contest the individual K1 200m and K1 500m events, whilst Phillips and Bird will combine to take on the men’s K2 200m event.
26 year-old Nicholls is considered a serious medal contender in London, after finishing equal fourth in the K1 200m and fifth in the K1 500m finals at last year’s World Championships in Hungary.
“I finished those races and I was quite disappointed I wasn’t on the podium. Straight away I thought, wow, I really do have a chance here,” Nicholls said of her first World Championship campaign.
The rising star quickly became accustomed to success on London’s Eton Dorney course, winning gold in the K1 500m at the Olympic Test Event last September.
Phillips and Bird produced a dominant selection campaign winning each of the three K2 200m selection trials, and will now prepare to compete for the first ever Olympic medals on offer in the event, which is also making its Olympic debut.
Eton Dorney will host the sprint kayak events from August 6 – August 11.
Western Australian now has eight athletes officially selected for London, with those athletes coming from the sports of sprint kayak, swimming and slalom canoe.
Full biographies ofthesprint kayak athletes are available on the AOC’s official website – http://london2012.olympics.com.au/athlete-search?sport=AF74E95A-5056-B04A-53AE4032EF07847F
