Local News

Meet our region's Olympians

Published 3:30pm 6 July 2021

Words by Nick Crockford

The final selections have been made and the Moreton Bay Region will be well represented at the Olympic Games, which get under way in Tokyo in just 17 days.

Australian’s team will include these nine athletes whose international sporting careers started, were nurtured, flourished and in some cases are continuing in our region.

Teagan Micah (Football)

Grew up on the peninsula and went to Redcliffe State High School. Made her international debut for the Matildas last month. The goalkeeper has played for the QAS, Brisbane Roar, Western Sydney Wanderers, Melbourne Victory and in the US and Norway.

Evania Pelite, who played for Deception Bay Raiders, is off to her second Olympics. Picture RugbyAU Media

Evania Pelite (Rugby 7s)

A star of Australia’s gold-medal winning women’s rugby 7s team in Rio 2016 scoring in the final victory over New Zealand. Went to Hercules Rd State School and St Columban’s College, Caboolture. Played for Deception Bay Raiders which are now Moreton Bay Raiders.

Paul Adams, who lives in North Lakes and works at Kippa-Ring,aiming for top in Tokyo. Picture: Shooting Australia

Paul Adams (Skeet Shooting)

Lives in North Lakes and works at Kippa-Ring. Adams is competing at his second Olympic Games in the two-day skeet shooting. Won his last competition but knows higher scores are needed on the world stage.

Chelsea Forkin who will make her Olympic debut. Picture Softball Australia

Chelsea Forkin (Softball)

A HPE teacher at Redcliffe State High School who arrived in Japan on June 1 to start preparing. Forkin made the final cut from 23 to 15 last week. Has been in the Aussie team for 13 years, but this is her first time softball has been in the Olympics since 2008.

Bronwen Knox, who is still playing for North Brisbane Polo Bears at Albany Creek, will set an Australian record in Tokyo.

Bronwen Knox (Water Polo)

Her career started at Albany Creek Leisure Centre with North Brisbane Bears 20 years ago and Knox still plays for the club. The former St Paul's School, Bald Hills student will join an elite group in Tokyo when she competes at her fourth Olympics.

Redcliffe-born Kaylee McKeown. Picture Delly Carr Swimming Australia

Kaylee McKeown (Swimming)

Redcliffe-born McKeown spent her formative years with Australian Crawl at the Burpengary Aquatic Centre before moving to the Sunshine Coast's USC club. Hit the headlines last month when smashing the world 100m backstroke record at the Australian trials.

Cameron Smith who will swap the world's top golf tour for the world's biggest sporting event.

Cameron Smith (Golf)

Smith grew up in Bray Park, went to Pine Rivers State High School and learned to play golf at Wantima Country Club, Brendale, where he is still a member and hosts the annual Cameron Smith Junior Classic. Now one of the world’s top players on the US PGA Tour. Making his Olympic debut.

Renee Taylor who helped Australia to another victory

Renee Taylor (Hockey)

Spent two years learning the game in Redcliffe Leagues Hockey Club’s Under 11 team while her mum played for the women. Taylor went on to Kedron Wavell, Commercial and made her Hockeyroos debut in 2015. This will be her Olympic debut.

Jade Wall has made her Olympic debut.

Jade Wall (Softball)

Started playing with Redcliffe Softball Association 12 years ago. Now based in Sydney, Wall still registers to play for Redcliffe’s Open Women’s team. Made the final 15 from 23 who travelled to Japan last month.

Coach Chris Mooney congraulates Kaylee McKeown at the Australian trials.

Chris Mooney (Swimming coach)

Chris Mooney (Swimming coach) – Chris is one of 10 swimming coaches travelling to Tokyo with the Australian team. He spent seven years as coach at Australian Crawl, at what is now Burpengary Aquatic Centre. It was there Kaylee McKeown first came under his wing. Both are now at USC Spartans on the Sunshine Coast.

Second-biggest team

With 472 selections, this is also the second largest team ever to leave Australia’s shores, just short of the 482 athletes who competed in the Athens Games in 2004.

Australia’s squad has 254 women and 218 men, plus a record 16 First Nations athletes. At 53.8 per cent, this is the highest percentage of women ever on an Australian team.

“I would also like to pay tribute to those athletes for whom the postponement and global environment prevented them from being a part of this team,” Australian Olympic Team Chef de Mission Ian Chesterman said on the Australian Olympic Committee website.

“Whether that’s through injury and retirement, lack of safe access to qualification events or through difficult personal circumstances, many have been forced to make that tough call.

“I can promise these athletes that this team carries their legacy and their contributions in their hearts all the way to Tokyo and into the heat of Olympic competition.”

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