Nathaniel Atkinson first Tasmanian to participate in Tokyo when Olyroos clash with Argentina
Still on a high from his best afield effort in the A-League grand final, Nathaniel Atkinson is hoping to use the Tokyo Olympics to further his blossoming career
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A-LEAGUE grand final man of the match Nathaniel Atkinson will kick off Tasmania’s Olympic involvement on Thursday night with plenty on the line.
Fresh from scoring a goal as Melbourne City defeated Sydney FC 3-1 in the A-League
grand final less than a month ago, the 22-year-old received a late call-up to the Olyroos’ final
squad for Tokyo.
Graham Arnold’s men landed in Group C and will begin their campaign against Argentina at 8.30pm (AEST) Thursday night.
The Argentinian squad boasts extensive top-flight experience across four continents, drawing from clubs in Spain, USA, Russia, England, Portugal, Mexico and France as well as domestic players with experience ranging from the EPL to Copa America.
And while aware of the challenge, Atkinson senses a golden opportunity to not only try and help Australia to a medal but to further his own blossoming career.
“As a footballer you want to play on the biggest stage and other than a World Cup, Olympics are probably the next best thing,” the winger said.
“Being mostly an under-23 competition, it’s going to have a lot of eyes on it and overseas clubs looking at it, so it puts you on the market and is a big opportunity to make a career for yourself.”
Atkinson’s Olympic selection capped a rollercoaster A-League campaign, where he was nominated for the competition’s young player of the year in March before suffering a high-grade hamstring tear a month later which looked set to end his season.
However he returned just prior to finals to confirmed his Olympic selection and potentially catapult him into Socceroos consideration.
“The Olympics was a huge motivation,” he said.
“I thought that was my hopes of the Olympics done. But you use that bit of extra motivation to work hard and put yourself in the best position possible to start playing again and put your name out there.
Atkinson is the second Tasmanian soccer player to feature at the Olympics after Hobart-born former Marconi defender Dominic Longo in Barcelona 1992.
The Olyroos face Spain on Sunday July 25 in their second match before a showdown with Egypt on Wednesday, July 28.
Several of the Tasmanian contingent have taken to Instagram to record their arrival in Tokyo, including canoeist Daniel Watkins and Launceston’s rowing reserve Ciona Wilson.
Star swimmer Ariarne Titmus has recorded her first training session in the Tokyo
Aquatics Centre ahead of a daunting schedule which begins with the 400m freestyle
heats on Sunday night and sees her compete on six of the following seven days.
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