Former Wyndham basketball junior Maddy Rocci’s Olympic dream is still alive after being named in the Australian Opals squad ahead of the Paris Games.
The Opals named a 26-player squad in preparation for the Games which will be reduced to a final 12-player squad closer to the Games.
The 26-player squad will participate in training camps, tours and fixtures both domestically and internationally against other Olympic-bound countries in the lead up to the Games which begin on July 26.
The squad features 14 combined Olympic Games appearances, 11 members of the FIBA 2022 World Cup team which won a bronze medal.
Rocci has been part of the Opals squad for a number of years, but missed out on the team that qualified for the Games earlier this year.
She made her Opals debut in 2022 and is coming off a Women’s National Basketball League championship with the Southside Flyers.
Opals coach Sandy Brondello said selecting the squad was an important step in preparations for Paris.
“It’s always an exciting time to announce an Olympic squad and I congratulate all the athletes. They all know what it means to play for Australia, and they all want the opportunity to represent their country at an Olympics,” she said.
“Our squad is full of exceptional talent, and they will make the decision to pick a final 12 very difficult. We have Canada, Nigeria and France in our pool, so we are focused on that and what is required to get onto the podium.”
