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Geoff Huegill, who lost 45kg in a year and a half, medley queen Stephanie Rice, former world record holder Eamon Sullivan and rising star Yolane Kukla are part of a 48-strong swimming contingent on the Australian team for the Commonwealth Games 2010 Delhi in October. They won gold at the Australian Swimming Championships here this week.

Although the final team will not be announced until after the Pan Pacific Championships in August, all swimmers who won gold or silver in an individual event at this week's selection trials are now destined for Delhi, according to a report on the Australian Olympic Committee.Read more...

At 31 years of age, Huegill and freestyle sprinter Ashley Callus are the oldest athletes on the team while 14-year-old Brisbane schoolgirl Yolane Kukla is the youngest. Callus made his Australian debut at the 1998 Commonwealth Games in Kuala Lumpur - Delhi will be his fourth Commonwealth Games equalling Adam Pine's record of four consecutive Games.

Breaststroke champion Leisel Jones will be heading to her third Commonwealth Games having already won seven gold medals at her previous two - three in Kuala Lumpur, four in Manchester.

Australian Commonwealth Games Association CEO Mr. Perry Crosswhite welcomed the first official members of the Australian team for Delhi, adding that their selection is a clear reminder to all that the Games are fast approaching.

"We've seen some fantastic results in the pool this week, some new names - and some old ones - and our swimmers always play an important role in the success of the team at the Games," said Mr. Crosswhite. "The Commonwealth Games are renowned for revealing the next generation of sporting stars in Australia and in Delhi we'll also get to welcome back someone like Geoff Huegill who started his remarkable journey with gold in Kuala Lumpur back in 1998.

"Whilst the final contingent of swimmers will not be confirmed until August, I would like to congratulate all athletes who have gained selection this week, especially those (29) swimmers who will be making their Commonwealth Games debut."

The squad:

Men: Daniel Arnamnart, Leith Brodie, Craig Calder, Ashley Callus, Nicholas D'Arcy, Ashley Delaney, Tommaso D'Orsogna, Nicholas Ffrost, Thomas Fraser-Holmes, Jayden Hadler, Geoff Huegill, Robert Hurley, Andrew Lauterstein, Ryan Napoleon, Cameron Prosser, Brenton Rickard, Christian Sprenger, Hayden Stoeckel, Eamon Sullivan, Christopher Wright, Peter Leek, Matthew Cowdrey, Ben Austin, Blake Cochrane and Andrew Pasterfield.

Women: Bronte Barratt, Alicia Coutts, Sophie Edington, Blair Evans, Felicity Galvez, Katie Goldman, Marieke Guehrer, Melissa Gorman, Samantha Hamill, Belinda Hocking, Leisel Jones, Sarah Katsoulis, Yolane Kukla, Samantha Marshall, Alice Mills, Meagen Nay, Kylie Palmer, Leiston Pickett, Stephanie Rice, Jessicah Schipper, Emily Seebohm, Ellie Cole and Annabelle Williams.