Gun Australian decathletes Ash Moloney and Cedric Dubler will push their bodies to the limit - and perhaps beyond - when they chase a near-unprecedented world championships and Commonwealth Games double.
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The pair were among the first 32 athletes named in the Australian track and field squad on Monday for the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.
Moloney and Dubler will also contest the world titles in Oregon, where their gruelling 10-event discipline winds up on July 24, just 11 days before the Commonwealth Games decathlon begins.
"The big reason I think it's possible is because I saw an athlete (Pawel Wiesiolek from Poland) who did five decathlons week after week in the lead-up to the Tokyo Olympics and on his very last one he got the qualifier," the 27-year-old Dubler told AAP.
"The decathlon is a beast of an event.
"You really have to fully commit to the competition and you really have to be willing to put your body on the line and hurt yourself a bit, push yourself beyond where you're comfortable."
The 2018 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist is in career-best form, having set a personal best of 8393 points at the national titles in April.
But he remains better known for exhorting Moloney to claim Olympic bronze last year when his then-training partner looked to be flagging in the concluding 1500m.
The pair both made coaching changes post-Tokyo.
"I haven't spoken to Ash yet about doubling up," said Dubler.
"He is going to come up with a recovery plan that is tailored to him and we've started to put one in place for me.
"It will be a race to see who recovers the best."
Australia's other two podium finishers from the Tokyo Olympics, high jump runner-up Nicola McDermott and javelin bronze medallist Kelsey-Lee Barber, were also among the initial inclusions in the Commonwealth Games squad.
Australia can only send 69 able-bodied athletes to Birmingham, including the 18 named on Monday.
The other 14 automatic selections, including dual Tokyo Paralympics gold medallist Madison de Rozario, will compete in the fully-integrated para-sport program.
"There's something special about the Commonwealth Games. After winning gold there in 2018, it holds a special place in my heart in terms of my career, particularly in the marathon," de Rozario said.
"One element I love about the Commonwealth Games is the combined team, and the way Australia embraces both sides of our team."
De Rozario, Evan O'Hanlon (T38 100m), Kurtis Marschall (pole vault) and walker Jemima Montag will be defending their 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games titles.
The remainder of the Australian squad will be announced in June at the end of the qualifying period.
Women:
Angela Ballard - 1500m T54
Kelsey-Lee Barber - javelin
Catriona Bisset - 800m
Julie Charlton - Shot Put F57
Rhiannon Clarke - 100m T38
Liz Clay - 100m hurdles
Sarah Clifton-Bligh - 100m T34
Christie Dawes - Marathon T54 and 1500m T54
Madison de Rozario - Marathon T54 and 1500m T54
Sinead Diver - marathon
Sarah Edmiston - discus F42-44/F61-64
Jessica Hull - 5000m
Nina Kennedy - pole vault
Robyn Lambird - 100m T34
Rosemary Little - 100m T34
Nicola McDermott - high jump
Jemima Montag - 10000m Walk
Ella Pardy - 100m T38
Eleanor Patterson - high jump
Men:
Liam Adams - marathon
Peter Bol - 800m
Matthew Denny - discus
Cedric Dubler - decathlon
Oliver Hoare - 1500m
Anthony Jordan - 100m T47
Jake Lappin - 1500m T54
Kurtis Marschall - pole vault
Ash Moloney - decathlon
Evan O'Hanlon - 100m T38
Jaydon Page - 100m T47
Jack Rayner - marathon
Kyle Swan - 10,000m walk
Australian Associated Press
