By Alesha Capone
Champion sports stars with links to Wyndham are set to represent Australia at the Tokyo Olympics, which will start on Friday.
Among them is Amy Cashin, 26, who will compete in the 3000-metre women’s steeplechase.
This year marks the first Olympics for Cashin, who grew up in Werribee and competed with Western Athletics.
She moved to the United States to study at West Virginia University, where she now coaches and is working towards her PhD in coaching and teaching studies.
“I’m giddy with excitement to officially be able to represent Australia and all those who have supported me over the years,” Cashin said last week.
“It is validating to know that the hard work over the years and the choices I had to make regarding COVID, and not going home for two years have paid off.”
Morgan Mitchell, another 26 year-old who grew up in Werribee and competed with Western Athletics, will take part in her second Olympics this year.
She will run in the 800-metre women’s race, after representing Australia at the 2016 Rio Olympics in the 400-metre race and 4×400 metre relay.
A former student of Thomas Carr College in Tarneit, Dante Exum, is also headed to Tokyo as a member of the Australian men’s basketball team.
Exum, 26, has played basketball in the United States since 2014 for teams including Utah Jazz, the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Houston Rockets.
Altona’s Jack Rayner, also from Western Athletics, will make his Olympics debut in the Tokyo men’s marathon event.
