Australia to send 41 Athletics representatives to 2008 Olympics

(BEIJING, June 26) -- Recently, Australia announced that an athletics team consisting of 41 representatives will be sent to the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games.

The 41-strong squad for this summer's Olympics is Australia's smallest in 16 years; 3 athletes less than the 2004 Games in Athens.

The Australian athletics team is led by reigning world champions Jana Rawlinson and Nathan Deakes; they both have great possibilities of winning gold medals in Beijing.

Rawlinson earned her first world championship title for the Women's 400m Hurdles at the 2003 World Athletics Championships. Four years later, she clinched another Women's 400m Hurdles title in Osaka.

Deakes won the 50km race walk title with a time of 3:43:53 at the World Championships in Osaka last year, setting his season record.