Bill Chaffey is a five-time world champion and will be among the favourites for the Commonwealth Games gold medal at Gold Coast 2018 ©Getty Images

Australia have named six athletes in their Paratriathlon squad for this year's Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast.

Rio 2016 Paralympians Bill Chaffey and Nic Beveridge, along with former wheelchair basketball player Scott Crowley, make up the men’s team.

World champion Emily Tapp, former wheelchair racer Sara Tait and Lauren Parker, a world age-group Ironman silver medallist, will compete in the women’s event at Gold Coast 2018.

Chaffey, a five-time International Triathlon Union (ITU) World Championship gold medallist, and reigning world champion Emily Tapp earned automatic spots on the team after victories in the first Paratriathlon World Series race in the Gold Coast last year. 

The remaining four spots were decided by selectors.

Chaffey, regarded as one of the best triathletes in the world, revealed he is looking to put the disappointment of his fourth-place finish at Rio 2016 behind him.

"This has been a long time coming but knowing it’s the Gold Coast, is something that has kept driving me on," he said.

"To be officially announced on this team for the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games is a dream come true and I can’t wait to race and to have my family and friends and all my mates around will be awesome.

"We’ve got a great team, an inspirational team and a team that has worked really hard to get here."

Emily Tapp will be hoping that Gold Coast 2018 can make up for missing the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after an unfortunate accident during preparations for the event ©Twitter
Emily Tapp will be hoping that Gold Coast 2018 can make up for missing the 2016 Paralympic Games in Rio de Janeiro after an unfortunate accident during preparations for the event ©Twitter

Tapp, who missed Rio 2016 after burning her legs just three weeks before a training camp was due to begin, admitted she is looking forward to competing in her homeland.

"Today means we are down to the pointy end and lots of hard training," she said.

"For me it’s the focus on the training that comes before it.

"It’s a big team, it’s on home soil, it’s in Australia and I know it’s going to be so exciting."

Australia’s Chef de Mission Steve Moneghetti congratulated the athletes on their selection.

"The addition of these six para-athletes rounds out a really strong Australian triathlon team for Gold Coast 2018," he said.

"The triathlon competition at Gold Coast 2018 will be hotly contested and our team features many world class performers

"Triathlon presents the first medal opportunities of the Games and I am confident these athletes can get us off to strong start."

The six Paratriathletes join triathletes Jake Birtwhistle, Matt Hauser, Luke Willian, Gillian Backhouse, Ashleigh Gentle and Charlotte McShane in the Australian squad.

The triathlon events at Gold Coast 2018 are due be held at Southport Broadwater Parklands on April 5 and 7.