The hunt to find and develop Australian next generation of sports champions is starting to bear fruit with a number of talented athletes coming through the ranks to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympics for the first time.  

The Australian Sports Commission’s NTID program is already exceeding expectations by helping to produce and qualify Australian athletes for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

Coordinators of the ASC’s NTID program have been hard at work scouring the country through recruitment drives and testing session to find and develop Australia’s best athletes across 17 Olympics sports.

Talented athletes who have qualified for the Beijing Olympics include indigenous boxer, Luke Boyd, kayaker, Jacob Clear, Tiffany Day in judo and Carmon Marton in Tae Kwon Do. All these promising athletes will be competing in their first Olympics. 

Other former NTID athletes who have qualified for the Australian Olympic team include Natalie Bale (rowing), Hannah Davis and Lyndsie Fogarty (flatwater canoe), and Sarah Cook (rowing).

General Manager of the ASC’s NTID program Dr Jason Gulbin says it’s great to see the NTID program paying dividends with some of Australia’s best young talented athletes coming through the ranks.

‘It’s pleasing to see a number of leading NTID athletes breaking through to qualify for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games ahead of schedule,’ Dr Gulbin said. 

‘The key aim of the NTID program has been to identify, develop and fast track Australian athletes for the 2012 London Olympics.’  

‘The focus of the NTID program is also qualifying athletes for sports with potential to achieve success at the 2012 London Olympics.’

‘NTID athletes are performing well and starting to enjoy some good results in the lead up to the 2008 Beijing Olympics.’

 ‘The NTID program is proving an effective pathway for emerging athletic talent to achieve their best in their chosen sports backed by quality coaching and sports science expertise.’

Talent transfer is another big part of the NTID program where athletes have physical attributes and skills to switch between sports.

For more details go to: http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/got_talent