The 17-year-old was part of the Australian women's 4x200 metre freestyle relay team that took silver at the World Championships in Barcelona last year and is one of 46 female athletes on the team.

She will be joined on the swimming squad by Grayson Bell, Kyle Chalmers, Ella Bond, Amy Forrster, Brianna Throssell, Nicholas Brown and Nic Groenewald.

Other notable names in the squad include Junior World Championship boxing medallists Satali Tevi-Fuimaono and Caitlin Parker and rugby sevens players Brooke Anderson and Tiana Penitani, who represented the senior Australian women's side during this year's International Rugby Board Women's Sevens World Series.

Tom Cunich and Elyse Ainsworth will take part in sailing events and Ainsworth is excited by the prospect of competing on the international stage.

"It means everything," said the 15-year-old.

"It was something that I had set out a year in advance.

"Every time I think that I'm going to Nanjing to compete I get nervous and excited all at once.

"I believe this is going to be an important stepping stone in my sailing career."

Ami Matsuo will be a real medal prospect for Australia in the pool at Nanjing 2014
©AFP/Getty Images



Australia will compete in 23 of the 28 sports on the programme for the Nanjing 2014 Games, which run from August 16 to 28.

Gymnast Tara Wilkie is the youngest member of the squad at 14 years old, while 18-year-old table tennis player Vy Buiis is the oldest athlete on the team.

Many of the athletes are coached by Olympic medallists, including the men's hockey team of Matthew Bird, Tim Howard, Nathanael Stewart, Jonathan Bretherton, Max Hughes, Mackenzie Warne, Max Hendry, Alec Rasmussen and Corey Weyer, who are under the guidance of Beijing 2008 bronze medal winner David Guest.

Los Angeles 1984 heptathlon gold medallist Glynis Nunn-Cearns coaches 800m runner Alina Tape, while kayaker Angus Thompson is under the watchful eye of Frenchwoman Myriam Fox, who won bronze at Atlanta 1996.

"I hope they do their absolute best in the sporting arena," said the team's Chef de Mission, Susie O'Neill, who won swimming gold medals at Atlanta 1996 and Sydney 2000.

"But I also want them to support each other, cheer one another on and be proud to wear the Australian tracksuit.

"I hope the team will have a positive experience in what will be their first contact with the Olympic Movement.

"The next two months is all about each athlete doing the best they can every single session.

"It is about giving 110 per cent each day and not thinking too much about the Youth Olympics at this stage.

"Hopefully when the athletes arrive in Nanjing they will know they can look back and know they have prepared as well as they could have and can relax and enjoy the competition."

Tiana Penitani will be one of the stars of the Australian women's rugby sevens side at Nanjing 2014 ©Getty Images



Australia won 29 medals including eight gold, 13 silver and eight bronze at the inaugural Summer Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010.

Among those gold medal winners was kayaker Jessica Fox, who went on to claim silver at the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The 20-year-old will travel to Nanjing as Australia's Young Ambassador and said the Youth Olympic Games are a perfect stage for athletes to experience top class international competition.

"For me the Youth Olympic Games was a great experience," she said.

"It was my first really big international event and the whole set up was fantastic.

"It really gives you a taste of what the big Olympics is like and for me I think it definitely helped me for London.

"I had an idea of what to expect and I wasn't overwhelmed arriving in London.

"It's definitely a great experience."

Contact the writer of this story at [email protected]


Related Stories
June 2014: Australian Olympians to mentor Nanjing 2014 Youth Games athletes
November 2012: Australia chooses swim legend as Chef de Mission for Nanjing 2014