Sydney, June 5 (IANS): Australia will send a 103-strong track and field squad for the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, their biggest-ever to a meet outside their shores.
Olympic and world 100m hurdles champion Sally Pearson will lead a 44-member team of athletes and 12 para-athletes, reports The Australian.
The Australians fielded their biggest-ever team of 120 athletes at the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne and the Glasgow-bound squad is second in size to that contingent, much larger than the 86 for the Games in Auckland.
Pearson will take part in the 100m dash and hurdles and the 4x100m relay at the Games.
The squad, announced on Thursday, includes US collegiate stars Steve Solomon (400m and 4x400m relay) and discus thrower Julian Wruck.
"It's fantastic to see such large numbers and that comes first from the sport giving the athletes the opportunity, and second from the athletes taking advantage of the opportunity," Australian team chef de mission and former marathon champion Steve Moneghetti said.
"The Commonwealth Games has often been the first multi-sport team experience for young athletes and many of those selected fall into that category."
A 66-member Australia team finished a close second in the medals tally in athletics at the 2010 New Delhi Games.
