Peers gets Davis Cup call up ahead of Dubai semifinal
Ben Offereins has today been named to represent Australia at his first Olympic Games.
With only 44 days until the start of the London Games, the West Australian will join Brendan Cole (ACT), Joel Milburn (NSW), Steven Solomon (NSW), John Steffensen (NSW), and Tristan Thomas (Tas) in an expanded 4 x 400m Australian relay squad.
As a 2005 National Champion, Offereins made his first appearance for Australia at the 2009 Berlin World Championships, playing an integral part in his nation’s bronze-medal winning performance.
Since that time, he has been a regular member of the Australian Athletics team and has participated in the 2010 Commonwealth Games and 2011 World Championships.
In Daegu last month, he secured Australia’s place among the top-16 4x400m relay nations, thereby confirming Australia’s place at the Olympics.
Offereins joins already-nominated Sam Maxwell Sports Management athlete Lisa Weightman on the Olympic team, with Weightman to compete in the women’s marathon in London.
Given he has been named in the team today by Athletics Australia, Offereins still has an opportunity to secure an individual 400m spot providing he can run the A-qualifying mark of 45.25 seconds before the IAAF deadline towards the end of July.
Offereins is the 7th fastest Australian of all-time over 400m, with a personal best of 44.86 seconds.
The Opening Ceremony for the 2012 London Olympics will be on July 27.
Related posts
