Over 50 athletes and officials from the winter sports of biathlon, bobsleigh, cross country skiing, figure skating, freestyle skiing, skeleton and short track speed skating will gather in Sydney today for a crucial component of their 2010 Olympic Winter Games preparations.

It is less than 300 days until the Games open in Vancouver, on Canada’s west coast, and the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) needs vital information from athletes hoping to secure selection.

At a Team Processing session athletes and officials will be briefed on Vancouver and Games preparations; measured for competition, casual and ceremony outfits; submit personal data for accreditation and entry purposes; plus athletes undergo video interviews for media organisations and olympics.com.au, the official website of the Vancouver 2010 team.

Some medal hopefuls attending today’s session include ski cross competitor Jenny Owens and short track speed skater Tatiana Borodulina.

The youngest competitor attending today is 19-year-old ice dancer Danielle O’Brien.

National Sports Federations nominate to the AOC athletes who they believe can achieve the criteria for Olympic selection. Of the 100 athletes processed over two sessions it is expected the final size of the Australian Winter Olympic Team will be approximately 35.

The second and final Team Processing session will be held in Melbourne next Thursday.

The first Australian Olympic Winter Team selections are not expected until the end of 2009 with final selections in some sports coming very close to the Opening Ceremony on February 12, 2010 Australia has medalled at every Olympic Winter Games since Lillehammer in 1994 and there are several medal contenders for 2010.

This evening Australia’s leading ice sport athletes will gather for the inaugural Australian Ice Sport Awards.

The cocktail party evening will celebrate the growing strength of the nation’s ice sport teams.

The Australian Bobsleigh and Skeleton Association, the Australian Curling Federation, Australian Ice Racing, and Ice Skating Australia announcing their respective Athlete of the Year, Coach of the Year, Junior Athlete of the Year and Outstanding Achievement awards.

AOC