Part 1: Massive NSWIS contingent set for Rio medal riot

In our two-part NSWIS Olympic preview, we run you through the extraordinary athletes that will represent Australia and the NSWIS in Rio…..

The best of the NSWIS will be on show over the next few weeks as no fewer than 80 of our athletes take part in the Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro.

The athletes, who will compete in 17 sports, will also supported by a host of NSWIS coaches and support staff as all strive to bring home gold for Australia.

During the Games NSWIS will be sending out a Daily newsletter with highlights from our athletes over the previous 24hours and a look at what we have coming up.

Our website will also continue to be a wonderful source of NSWIS news, whether that be the latest from Rio, stories on the upcoming Paralympics or a special series of stories about some of the people that make the NSWIS tick.

Here’s a brief look at some of our athletes that will be in Rio:

Athletics: There are 15 NSWIS athletes in the track and field competition ranging from experienced discus hurler Dani Samuels – who will attend her third Olympic Games – to teenage 4x400m relay hopeful Jessica Thornton.

Dani Samuels will compete in the discus

There’s rising sprinters Anneliese Rubie and Ella Nelson, high jumping star Brandon Starc and dancing hurdler Michelle Jenneke. Then there’s 40-year-old debutant Scott Westcott in the marathon, long distance runner Eloise Wellings and Fabrice Lapierre, who is a genuine medal contender in the men’s long jump. The exciting list goes on…to READ MORE about our track and field athletes click here.

Our stars: Anneliese Rubie (Women’s 400m, 4x400m Relay), Ben St Lawrence (Men’s 10 000m), Brandon Starc (Men’s High Jump), Dani Samuels (Women’s Discus), Ella Nelson (Women’s 200m), Eloise Wellings (Women’s 5000m, 10000m), Fabrice Lapierre (Men’s Long Jump), Jenny Blundell (Women’s 1500m), Jessica Thornton (Women’s 4x400m Relay), Madeline Hills (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase, 5000m), Michelle Jenneke (Women’s 100m Hurdles), Milly Clark (Women’s Marathon), Scott Westcott (Men’s Marathon), Victoria Mitchell (Women’s 3000m Steeplechase), Selma Kajan (Women’s 800m)

Boxing: Australia will only have three boxers in Rio and two are NSWIS athletes – Daniel Lewis and Shelley Watts with the latter considered a great chance of bringing home Australia’s first ever women’s boxing medal….READ THEIR PROFILES here.

Our stars: Daniel Lewis (Men’s 75kg), Shelley Watts (Women’s 60kg)

Canoe Slalom: When you talk Australian canoe slalom you talk NSWIS with all three of the slalom representatives in RIO hailing from the NSWIS program. Leading the way will be 2012 London Olympic silver medallist Jessica Fox…to READ MORE about our canoe slalom paddlers click here.

London silver medallist Jessica Fox is back for the Canoe Slalom

Our stars: Ian Borrows (Men’s C1), Lucien Delfour (Men’s K1), Jessica Fox (Women’s K1)

Canoe Sprint: NSWIS athletes make up almost one third of Australia’s canoe sprint outfit with London Olympic gold medallists Murray Stewart leading the way. Stewart will be joined by three fellow surf life savers including Naomi Flood who will compete at her second Games…to LEARN MORE about our canoe sprint paddlers click here.

Our stars: Lachlan Tame (Men’s K2 1000), Murray Stewart (Men’s K1 1000), Naomi Flood (Women’s K1 500), Riley Fitzsimmons (Men’s K4 1000)

Canoe Sprint: NSWIS athletes make up almost one third of Australia’s canoe sprint outfit with London Olympic gold medallists Murray Stewart leading the way. Stewart will be joined by three fellow surf life savers including Naomi Flood who will compete at her second Games…to FIND OUT MORE about our canoe sprint paddlers click here.

Our stars: Lachlan Tame (Men’s K2 1000), Murray Stewart (Men’s K1 1000), Naomi Flood (Women’s K1 500), Riley Fitzsimmons (Men’s K4 1000)

Murray Stewart won gold with Australia’s K4 1000 crew in London. He’ll compete in the K1 1000 in Rio

Cycling – Road: Amanda Spratt will return for her second Olympic Games after finishing 55^th in the road race in London but this time she will have another NSWIS rider alongside her in Rachel Neylan…to GET TO KNOW our road cyclists click here.

Our stars: Amanda Spratt (Women’s Road Race), Rachel Neylan (Women’s Road Race)

Cycling – Track: 2015 world champion Ashlee Ankudinoff is the sole NSWIS track rider competing in Rio where she will be a vital member of Australia’s Team Pursuit squad…to GET TO KNOW Ash and her track teammates click here.

Our stars: Ashlee Ankudinoff (Women’s Team Pursuit)

Diving: Pint sized triple Olympian Melissa Wu (she’s the shortest member of the 400 plus Australian team in Rio!) headlines a list of four NSWIS members of the nine-member Australian diving team for Rio. Another member of the squad is 18-year-old Brittany O’Brien who received a late Rio call-up when fellow NSWIS athlete Brittany Broben succumbed to a shoulder injury in late July.…to READ ABOUT our divers click here.

Our stars: Brittany O’Brien (Women’s 10m Platform), Esther Qin (Women’s 3m Springboard), Kevin Chavez (Men’s 3m Springboard), Melissa Wu (Women’s 10m Platform)