Emageo athlete Alex Beck will be out to help Australia secure a seat on the plane to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with a strong performance at this weekend’s World Relays.
The 23 year old will lead the Australian 4x400m team at the IAAF World Relays in the Bahamas, where a top eight finish will earn them automatic qualification for Rio.
“This is a huge opportunity for the team to get to Rio” Beck said.
“The boys have been training hard and we think we are in with a shot to get into that all important top eight.”
It’s been a solid start to the year for the Queenslander.
The World Championship finalist finished second at the National Championships, narrowly missing a personal best behind fellow squad member Craig Burns.
“Personally I would love to have run a bit faster at Nationals but it was only the start of a long year.
“The pleasing side for this weekend is that we have a group of guys who are all confident.
“If we perform to our potential, we are a big chance to qualify.”
The women’s 4x400m relay squad features Glasgow 2014 starters Lyndsay Pekin, Morgan Mitchell, Jess Gulli and Cailtin Sargent as well as national champion Anneliese Rubie.
Pekin could turn to be the key with the West Australian running a personal best in March this year.
All up, Australia will send a 37 strong team to Jamaica including a men’s and women’s 4x100m, 4x400m, 4x800m and distance medley relays.
The men’s 4 x100m team will line up against the all-conquering Jamaican team who will feature world record holder, Usain Bolt.
Last year, a 31-strong Australian team delivered a bronze medal (women’s 4x1500m relay) and three national records (women’s 4x800m relay, men’s and women’s 4x1500m relay) to place 5th on the IAAF Points Table behind Golden Baton winners, the USA.
The IAAF World Relays were introduced by the IAAF in 2014, with the event set to return for a second-consecutive year to the atmospheric Thomas A. Robinson Stadium in Nassau in the Bahamas.