STORY: Australia unveils 18-strong squad for women's football at Paris Olympics
SHOOTING TIME: June 4, 2024
DATELINE: June 4, 2024
LENGTH: 00:01:53
LOCATION: SYDNEY, Australia
CATEGORY: SPORTS

SHOTLIST:
1. various of Australia's women's football team selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANNA MEARES, Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
3. various of Australia's women's football team selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics
4. SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TONY GUSTAVSSON, Head Coach of Australia's women's football team
5. various of Australia's women's football team selected for the 2024 Paris Olympics
6. SOUNDBITE 3 (English): STEPH CATLEY, Captain of Australia's women's football team
7. SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ELLIE CARPENTER, Vice-Captain of Australia's women's football team

STORYLINE:

The Australian Olympic Committee on Tuesday unveiled the line-up of an 18-member women's football team for the upcoming Paris Olympics, with 30-year-old defender Steph Catley named as the squad's captain.
   
The team features eight athletes who will become the first Australian footballers to compete at three Olympic Games, including Catley, vice-captains Emily Van Egmond and Ellie Carpenter, as well as star shot-stopper Mackenzie Arnold.
   
The 21-year-old young gun Mary Fowler and veteran Michelle Heyman are set to return for their second Olympic Games, along with Kyra Cooney-Cross, Katrina Gorry, and Teagan Micah.
   
Meanwhile, Clare Hunt, Kaitlyn Torpey, Cortnee Vine, and Clare Wheeler are about to make their Olympic debuts.
   
Matildas' longest-serving goalkeeper Lydia Williams has been named as one of the four traveling reserves. This means that she could step in as a replacement athlete, if any of the selected 18 athletes are unable to compete due to injury or other reasons.
   
After Australia's best-ever finish in Olympic football with fourth in Tokyo, the current world No. 10 in women's football is eyeing a medal at the Paris Olympics.

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): ANNA MEARES, Chef de Mission of the Australian Olympic Team for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games
"Let's congratulate all of these women to the stage. First up, she is the captain heading to her third Games, trailblazer, Steph Catley. Vice-captain Emily Van Egmond. Vice-captain Ellie Carpenter. Mary Fowler. Hayley Raso. Please join me in congratulating our Matildas squad for the Paris Olympics Australian Olympic Team."
   
"This has been an incredibly challenging squad to select with so many quality players competing fiercely for limited spots," said Australia head coach Tony Gustavsson.

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): TONY GUSTAVSSON, Head Coach of Australia's women's football team
"Right now, today, I feel very excited. It feels like we get the opportunity to tap into the Aussie spirit and being in Australia for the announcement as well, I think, is massive for all of you (media), for the players and families, for the fans."
   
He told reporters that he wanted three center backs, three outside backs, three center midfielders, three wide players, three forwards, two goalkeepers, and one multi-functional player for the squad, while he also needed some of those players to be very versatile.
   
"Tameka Yallop played four different positions in the camp, Mary Fowler played three different positions, and Kaitlyn Torpey played three different positions. I need to add depth to the positions and also tactic flexibility," Gustavsson added.

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): STEPH CATLEY, Captain of Australia's women's football team
"A couple of fresh faces and a couple of stalwarts. A very familiar team. But I think the way we've been playing over the last year or so, we are in a really good place. We've still got a fair bit to work on before the Olympics, but that's always sort of the process."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): ELLIE CARPENTER, Vice-Captain of Australia's women's football team
"I think the Olympics is the hardest one to win. I think it's over two weeks. Most of the nations are in the top 10. No game is easy at all. To even get out of the group stages is a hard task. It's the best of the best. It's a world stage. It's the pinnacle of sport, the Olympics. It's really exciting."

Australia have been drawn in Group B against the United States, Germany and Zambia. The Matildas will kick off their Olympic run with a physical match against Germany on July 25.

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Sydney, Australia.
(XHTV)