With less than 40 days to go until the London Olympic Games, the Australian Team is taking shape.

We have already had a number of Olympic team announcements on site at the AIS in Canberra including women’s water polo and boxing, and just last week the women’s gymnastics team was announced.

Our European Training Centre (ETC) in Italy is playing a big role in helping our Olympians and Paralympians prepare for London.  The ETC has already or will play host to a number of Olympic and Paralympic teams including the Opals, the Australian Rowing Team, canoe kayak, women’s water polo, track endurance, triathlon, the Australian Rollers and Para-cycling.

The excitement of the countdown to the Paralympic Games is also building. This year athletes from 160 countries will compete across 20 sports from 29 August – 9 September. Australia’s Paralympic Team will be one of the largest at the London Games, with 165 athletes and 135 support staff expected to attend.

Since its inception at the 1960 Rome Games, Australia has competed at every Paralympic Games and has finished in the top five on the gold medal tally at all Games since Atlanta 1996.  Here’s hoping for a similar result in London.

The excitement of the London Olympic and Paralympic Games is also being used to encourage and inspire school aged children to get active, have fun and experience the sport of their Olympic heroes.  On Wednesday 30 May, the Minister for Sport, Senator the Hon Kate Lundy attended Quakers Hill Primary School to kick off the Prime Minister’s Olympic and Paralympic Challenges. For more information or to get kids involved in the Challenges go to www.olympicchallenge.gov.au or www.paralympicchallenge.gov.au.

Amidst all of this, the football codes and netball are well into their seasons and it’s hard to believe the finals are not that far away. The Socceroos continue their push for World Cup qualification, and the Wallabies have started an intense period of international competition.

All in all, it’s a great time in sport!