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Skeleton Surprise Deane on Olympic Team

 

Jan 23, 2010 / 09:22:55 PM
skeleton newcomer Anthony Deane has been named to the Australian Olympic team.

While focus has been on his high performing female team mates - Australia is the fifth ranked nation in the world in female skeleton - the 25 year old's solid performances at America's Cup and Intercontinental Cup level earned him a place in the top 30 athletes on the Olympic adjusted World Ranking list and an Olympic berth.

The Olympic adjusted World Ranking list takes into account the limited number of quota places at the Olympics for each nation. Deane is ranked 46th in the world but removing those athletes ranked above him who can't compete at the Games because their nation has filled its quota puts him at 27th. Mens Olympic skeleton has a field of 30.

Deane first competed in skeleton only a year ago, before which he was an international handball player.

Deane joins Emma Lincoln-Smith and Melissa Hoar as Australia's Olympic skeleton team. Hoar and Lincoln-Smith are ranked 12th and 13th in the world before Olympic readjustment and as the fifth ranked nation in the world Australia has been assigned two places in the female skeleton Olympic field.

Words - Tess Cook

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tags: olympic, skeleton, emma, lincoln, smith, melissa, hoar, anthony, deane, world, intercontinental, america's, team