They may hail from the other side of the world to where the first Winter Youth Olympic Games are taking place, but that hasn’t stopped nine young Australian athletes getting just a little “pumped” about being the first people selected to join their national team going to Innsbruck 2012!

Among the athletes named were snowboarder Alexandra Fitch, cross-country skiers Lucy Glanville and Alex Gibson, ski-cross skiers Jack Millar and Claudia Leggett, ice hockey skills challenge competitors Sharnita Crompton and Sam Hodic and finally Alpine skiers Harry Laidlaw and Greta Small. 

 

Greta, who learnt of her selection when in Austria at her family’s winter home in Pitztal, just a stone’s throw from Innsbruck, said: “I’m really pumped to be competing for Australia at the Youth Olympic Games. It’s huge here in Innsbruck. Everyone is talking it and there are posters everywhere.”

A further six Australian athletes are likely to join the national team as qualifications continue until mid-December.

Good luck to all the athletes the world over who are hoping to make it to Innsbruck 2012! The YOG team is behind you!