The Australian Women’s Basketball Olympic squad for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics Games will come together on the Gold Coast for a week-long camp from March 22 – 28.
This camp will form an important part of the Opals' preparations for Tokyo, where Australia head into the Games ranked world number 2.
Last year, Basketball Australia announced the Tokyo 2020 Olympic squad with 17 of those athletes currently based in Australia attending this camp, which will utilise elite training facilities across the City including the Carrara Indoor Sports Stadium.
Head Coach Sandy Brondello said this intense week-long camp will build upon the strong foundations set over the past four years and provide an opportunity for invaluable court-time.
“With squad members and coaches based around the world, we will have limited opportunities to train and play together in the lead up to the Tokyo Olympic Games.
“It’s an intense and demanding camp schedule but it’s important we maximise this time on the Gold Coast to support our long-term ambition of claiming gold in Tokyo.
“I know everyone is excited and raring to go, so I’m expecting a high quality, competitive and successful seven days in camp,” said Brondello.
The official 12-member Australian Olympic Women’s Basketball Team roster for the Tokyo 2020 Games will be announced by the Australia Olympic Committee in early July.
2020 Australian Women’s Olympic Squad
| Athlete’s Name | 2020 WNBL Club / Current Overseas Club /2021 WNBA Club |
| Rebecca Allen* | Valencia Basket (Spain) |
| Zitina Aokuso | JCU Townsville Fire |
| Sara Blicavs | Jayco Southside Flyers |
| Liz Cambage* | Jayco Southside Flyers / Las Vegas Aces (WNBA) |
| Rebecca Cole | Jayco Southside Flyers |
| Katie-Rae Ebzery | Perth Lynx |
| Darcee Garbin | Perth Lynx |
| Cayla George | Deakin Melbourne Boomers |
| Shyla Heal | JCU Townsville Fire |
| Tessa Lavey | Villawood Properties Bendigo Spirit |
| Tess Madgen | Deakin Melbourne Boomers |
| Ezi Magbegor | Deakin Melbourne Boomers / Seattle Storm (WNBA) |
| Tiana Mangakahia* | Syracuse University (USA) |
| Leilani Mitchell | Jayco Southside Flyers / Washington Mystics (WNBA) |
| Lauren Nicholson | JCU Townsville Fire |
| Jenna O’Hea | Jayco Southside Flyers |
| Maddison Rocci | UC Capitals |
| Jaz Shelley* | University of Oregon (USA) |
| Alanna Smith | Adelaide Lightning |
| Stephanie Talbot | Adelaide Lightning / Seattle Storm (WNBA) |
| Marianna Tolo | UC Capitals |
| Sami Whitcomb* | Galatasaray (Turkey) / New York Liberty (WNBA) |
*Denotes those athletes not able to attend this camp on the Gold Coast due to commitments abroad.
The women’s basketball competition of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games will be contested between 26 July – 8 August 2021 at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo and features 12 countries.
Last month, FIBA conducted the official draw for the Games, where the Opals were placed in Group C along with Puerto Rico (World Ranked #22), China (World Ranked #9) and Belgium (World Ranked #6) for the preliminary round.
Australian Women’s Basketball Tokyo 2020 Olympic Schedule:
Group Phase
July 27 vs Belgium, 5.20pm local
July 30 vs China, 9.00pm local
August 2 vs Puerto Rico, 9.00pm local
The Quarter-Finals will be played on August 4, Bronze Medal Game on August 7, and the Gold Medal Game on August 8.
Basketball Australia would like to acknowledge the Queensland Government, Tourism and Events Queensland and the City of Gold Coast for their ongoing support of the Australian Opals.
