Tasmanian representation rises as more Olympians selected for Paris

Eddie Ockenden will be the first ever five-time Australian hockey Olympian, with the 16-man Kookaburras and 16-woman Hockeyroos teams announced by the Australian Olympic Committee today in Perth.

He joins Josh Beltz in the Kookaburras side, while Maddi Brooks has been selected as a travelling reserve.

The Tokyo Olympic silver-medallist Kookaburras enter Paris 2024 fresh off winning the FIH Pro League title earlier this year.

The Hockeyroos have notched victories against Tokyo 2020 medallists Argentina and Great Britain already this season, and head to Paris keen to improve on their quarter-final exit from Tokyo.

The Hockeyroos have been drawn with Argentina, Great Britain, Spain, USA and South Africa, while the Kookaburras will take on Belgium, India, Argentina, New Zealand and Ireland in their pool games.

Ockenden said the Kookaburras were in a good position to go one better in the French capital.

"We know our best is good enough, which is a great feeling going into like a major competition," he said.

"It's always really exciting knowing you're going to the Olympics. It's really hard to compare it to the last four. Every Olympic campaign has had its own differences and its own feeling.

"You want to take some lessons in the past and try and improve and get better and use your experience to your advantage. Going to the Olympics is the coolest thing that we can do as hockey players."

Four-time Olympian and deputy Chef de Mission Bronwen Knox credited Ockenden's historic achievement.

"Making one Games is an incredible accomplishment. To make five Games, and become the first Australian in your sport to ever do so, is a truly rare and special achievement," she said.

"Congratulations Eddie on this remarkable milestone and thank you for your decades of commitment to bring excellence to the hockey pitch day in and day out."

While Kookaburras head coach and Olympian Colin Batch spoke honourably of the 37-year-old's durability.

"Eddie is an incredible athlete, an incredible person, he's like a good bottle of red wine isn't he, he just keeps getting better and better," he said.

"Heading towards his fifth Olympics is a marvellous achievement and I know he wants a bigger goal and that's not just being in the team, he wants success in Paris."

Tasmanian Sarah Hawe has qualified for her second Games after she was named in the 37-athlete Australia squad for the Paris Olympics.

Born in Victoria, the Huon rower will turn 37 a week out from the fortnight festival of sport, and is the only Tasmanian in the group.

The team enters Paris on a high after finishing on top of the medal tally at Rowing World Cup III in Poland earlier this month, where they claimed 11 medals out of 13 events, including six gold.

And Hawe was a part of that success, claiming gold in the Australian women's eight team.

Chef de Mission Anna Meares congratulated the athletes on their selection.

"Rowing is such an integral part of Australia's Olympic history and I'm thrilled to announce the 37 athletes who will proudly row at the Olympic regatta in Paris," Meares said.

"To make an Australian Olympic Rowing Team takes incredible strength, determination and skill.

"From returning Olympic champions to Olympic debutants, each of these athletes have earned their place in Paris, with years of work to put them in a position to write Australia's next chapter of Olympic rowing.

"Rowing Australia have built such an impressive high-performance environment and I want to thank and congratulate the entire team for helping prepare this world class team."

Nine Australian boats will contest at the Olympic rowing regatta to be held at Vaires-sur-Marne Nautical Stadium in Paris.