BALLARAT distance runner Collis Birmingham will compete in the 5000 metres at the Beijing Olympic Games.

Athletics Australia yesterday added the 23-year-old to the Australian team.

He will join Craig Mottram from Geelong in an assault on the 5000m.

Birmingham convinced selectors to give him a berth after he smashed his personal best and ran an Olympic A qualifier for the 5000m in California two weeks ago.

He ran a winning time of 13 minutes 21.12 seconds, finishing more than 40 metres clear of his nearest opponent.

It was the first time Birmingham had gone under the A qualifying standard and impressed Athletics Australia selectors enough to realise his Olympic dream.

Birmingham is the reigning Australian 10,000m champion and before travelling to the United States represented Australia for a third time in the world cross-country championships.

"Collis has shown terrific form this year," Athletics Australia high performance manager Max Binnington said.

"Winning convincingly by more than seven seconds, his race in the United States backed up what he did this season.

"As one of our most promising up and coming athletes, Collis has displayed great potential for the future," Binnington said.

The final Australian track and field team is to be announced on June 23.

Birmingham, who remains in the United States, joins Ballarat racewalker Jared Tallent as a track and field representative in Beijing.

Birmingham's father Gerry said the family had known about the Olympic selection for a few days.

"We've had to keep quiet about it."

Mr Birmingham said his son deserved to be an Olympian.

"It's been 14 years of dedication ... a long process to get there.

"He's so singleminded.

"It's all he does."

Mr Birmingham said Collis had been low key in a telephone conservation since learning about his selection.

"He's not getting ahead of himself.

"He's in with a lot of good people - (coaches) Rod Griffin and Nick Bideau)."

He said Birming-ham's next race would be a 10,000m in San Francisco.

He will then train at altitude with Mottram in the United States before moving onto London for a European campaign.

Mr Birmingham said he was unsure exactly what Collis would do in Europe now that he had achieved his aim of Olympic selection.

He said Collis owed much to many people and supporters such as the Ballarat Sports Foundation and Eureka Athletic Club for helping him realise the ambition.