Team Austria Brings 70 Athletes to London 2012
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MEDIA RELEASE Markus Rogan is the official flag-bearer © GEPA Team Austria brings 70 athletes to London 2012 31 women and 39 men nominated. World-class swimmer Markus Rogan is the official flag-bearer. On the final nomination list by the Austrian Olympic Commmittee (ÖOC), 30 Athletes are first-timers, and four hold medals from previous Olympics (Markus Rogan, Ludwig Paischer, Andreas Geritzer and Christian Planer). Shooting athlete Thomas Farnik is competing at his 6th Olympic games. “On average we have three Austrian medals, but this year our team is smaller, so to win three medals would be a very good result”, says Karl Stoss, ÖOC president. pre-Olympic countdown: 14 and 15 July fitting and presentation of the official team outfits at Hotel Marriot in Vienna (Stadtpark). 15 July evening starting at 6 PM official Farewell Celebration at ‘Studio 44’, (broadcast live on Austrian television (ORF1) from 6:35 PM) 16 July at 11 PM Federal President Heinz Fischer welcomes the Team Austria at Hofburg Palace for the traditional oath and farewell ceremony. Facts and figures of the nominated ÖOC athletes : - 70 athletes (31 female, 39 male) and 60 trainers/advisers. (Beijing 2008: 70 athletes (30 ladies/40 men); Athens 2004: 74 (54/20); Sydney 2000: 94 (56/38; plus the ladies’ handball team). Except for Montreal 1976, Team Austria has never been smaller. - youngest athletes: swimmers: Lisa Zaiser (17) and Christian Scherübl (18). - most senior athletes: dressage (riding) athlete Renate Voglsang (41) and Thomas Farnik (45) (London 2012 is his 6th Olympics running). Other experienced retainers are Helmut Oblinger and Werner Schlager (both 5th Olympics); Liu Jia, Andreas Geritzer, Markus Rogan and Günther Weidlinger (all 4th); Günther Weidlinger is also competing in the marathon for the first time, after 3.000 m steeplechase, 5.000 m and 10.000 m at earlier Games; - previous medal winners: swimmer Markus Rogan (2x silver/2004), judoka Ludwig Paischer (silver/2008), sailor Andreas Geritzer (silver/2004) and shooting athlete Christian Planer (bronze/2004). - two athletes in the Team have participated in the Singapore Youth Olympic Games 2010: Ivona Dadic (heptathlon) and Lara Vadlau (sailing, 470). Vadlau won a gold medal in Singapore. - The 30 first-timers are (16 ladies/14 men): o Ladies: Ivona Dadic/heptathlon, Hilde Drexler/judo, Elisabeth Eberl/javelin, Barbara Gasser/gymnastics, Corinna Kuhnle/K1 wild water canoeing slalom, Livia Lang/synchronized swimming duo, Andrea Mayr/marathon, Stephanie Obermoser/shooting, Lisa Perterer/triathlon, Simone Prutsch/badminton, Eva-Maria Schimak/sailing, 470; Beate Schrott/100 m hurdles, Amelie Solja/ table tennis, team; Lara Vadlau/sailing, 470, Renate Voglsang/dressage, Lisa Zaiser/swimming, 200 m individual medley; o Men: Thomas Daniel/modern pentathlon, Alexander Gehbauer/mountain biking, Andreas Giglmayr/triathlon, Amer Hrustanovic/wresting, Greco – 84 kg, Michael Lahnsteiner/badminton, Fabian Leimlehner/gymnastics, Karl Markt/mountain biking, Alexander Peya/tennis double, Florian Raudaschl/sailing, Finn; Andreas Scherhaufer/shooting trap; Christian Scherübl/4x200 m free-style, Daniel Schorn/cycling - road, Andreas Vojta/1.500 m, Tamira Paszek/tennis. - Tallest ÖOC athlete: Clemens Doppler (2.00 m); smallest ÖOC athletes: Livia Lang and Liu Jia (1.60 m); heaviest: discus thrower Gerhard Mayer (109 kg); lightweight: Liu Jia (47kg). - The swimmers are the most numerous sub-group in the team (13 athletes), followed by the sailors (8), track and field athletes (7) and table tennis players (6). - History: since 1896, Austrian athletes won 26 gold, 39 silver and 42 bronze medals in total at Olympic Summer Games, an average of 4.1 medals per Summer Games. During the last 10 Summer Games, a total of 30 medals were won, an average of 3. - Markus Rogan is the honorable flag bearer for Team Austria. .