Australian Olympic marathon team confirmed with controversial omission and a first-time marathoner

After some ugly fallout the Australian marathon team for the Olympics has been confirmed with one inclusion overcoming some remarkable obstacles.

The controversy over selection policies couldn’t overshadow the joy for Genevieve Gregson who will become just the sixth Australian woman in history to compete in athletics at four Olympics having overcome the devastation of an achilles injury to make the team for Paris.

Gregson, who made a shift from the track to the marathon, having had her first child during her injury lay-off, and will join Sinead Diver, Jessica Stenson, Brett Robinson and Patrick Tiernan as the Australian runners conceding it was “going to be heartbreaking” for one runner with the selection stress taking a toll on everyone involved.

The selection of Stenson, who won gold at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, was the most controversial as she was chosen despite running a slower qualifying time than Lisa Weightman, a four-time Olympian and two-time Commonwealth Games medallist, who missed the team.

It sparked an online war and Weightman backflipped on a decision to taker the matter to the Court of Arbitration for sport.

“It was going to be heartbreaking, no matter what. “So when I heard that a girl had appealed I kind of thought ‘yeah, that’s what happens’,” Gregson said.

“... I never felt safe, more just because I respect my opposition and I don’t necessarily think that anyone is a standout over the other.

“I thought the appeal would open up the floor for any of us to be switched out, so that’s why it’s been pretty stressful.”

Sinead Diver, Genevieve Gregson, Jessica Stenson, Brett Robinson and Patrick Tiernan have been selected to contest the marathon at Paris 2024, with the Australian Olympic Committee announcing their selections in Melbourne today.#AllezAUS#AthleticsNationhttps://t.co/ylB5m5XuDT

— Athletics Australia (@AthsAust) June 3, 2024

But the backlash couldn’t diminish the achievement of Gregson who suffered her shattering injury on the track at the Tokyo Olympics, then shifted to the marathon and ran the second-fastest qualifying time to make a fourth Games.

“Four Olympic Games is so special, I don’t take any of it for granted,” she said.

“After Tokyo I didn’t know if I’d ever able to return to running at the same level, let alone making another Olympics.

“Although I’m so proud of being a four-time Olympian, I’m more proud I was able to get back to this level after the adversity I was facing three years ago. Rehabbing a ruptured achilles was tough but at the same time I was pregnant so I had this inner motivation to look forward to at the end of such a long time off.

Genevieve Gregson ruptured her achilles during the 3000m Steeplechase Final in Tokyo (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Diver, 47, who set a new national record of 2.21.34 in January 2023 said the scrutiny over selection impacted her as well despite being the quickest of those in contention.

“There were obviously points in there when I wasn’t sure if I would still be on the team or not, so it’s been a really, really tough few weeks,” she said.

“This means so much to me. It’s an honour to represent Australia for a second time at the Olympics. My first experience was very special but I’m hoping that this one will top it as I can share it with family and friends.

“Having my kids there means the world to me, they are so excited about getting to Paris and they’re at the age where they’ll remember this forever.”

Tiernan, 29, has made his third Olympic team as has Robinson.