Fed: Australia's Athens team biggest ever

AAP General News (Australia)
02-14-2004
Fed: Australia's Athens team biggest ever

SYDNEY, Feb 14 AAP - Australia will be represented by the biggest ever overseas contingent
at the Athens Olympic Games.

The 475-strong team's objective was to retain its top five position on the Olympic
table, according to Australian Olympic Committee president John Coates.

"We will be one of the largest five teams in this games and this will be the largest
team sent overseas," Mr Coates told The Sunday Telegraph.

"We have qualified for 27 of the 28 Olympic sports, with only handball missing out,
and qualified for 273 Olympic places."

The athletes will be joined by a support network of 123 coaches, 68 medical staff,
and 89 management and administrators.

The team's numbers are second only to the 634 who competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympics
where Australia took out 58 medals, including 16 gold.

AAP ved/sjb

KEYWORD: OLY TEAM

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