Historically, Australia was one of the great powers of the international skating but in the last few years they lost their lead in the world-wide scene after the strengthening of the discipline in other regions of the planet and by the lack of development that the skating received in the Aussie territory.

Today Australia is an international sporting power and its development is reflected in the excellent yield demonstrated at the present Olympic Games in Beijing. It is hoped that the same push arrives within the Australian inline skating so they can return to being one of the world-wide elite in speed skating.

This year the Aussie Team is made up of only seven athletes, one of smallest ones in the history of The World Championships. In Cali 2007, Australia returned to shine as in the old times but it was thanks to the wonderful work carried out by the junior Daniel Greig who left stunned more than 10,000 spectactors when he won the 200m time trial, beating the local favorite. Australia got back to the top of the podium after five years when the beloved and remembered Shaun Thompson had obtained two gold in Ostend 2002.

Greig was born in Melbourne on March 13th 1991 and in Gijon he will be the main Australian candidate to win a place on the podium. "To have fun and try my hardest. And it would be nice if I won some more medals again, particularly the time trials. I hope to do well in them" Greig said.

In senior woman, the only Aussie representative will be Angeline Thomas who is in Gijon right now training very hard to adapt to the weather conditions of the Spanish city.

"I would like to place in the top 5 and become a world medalist. I would also like place high in the shorter distances. I always like the Elimination, Points, 1 km and 500m and of course the marathon that’s nearly everything hahaha but I like the road better than the track" Thomas said.

Michael Byrne is the most experienced skater of the team and he is also skating in Gijon now. Cameron Downes and the famous Finster’s brothers completes the Aussie team for Gijon 2008.