THE Carlton Football Club can confirm that midfielder Chloe Dalton will pursue her Olympic dream next year in Rugby Sevens before returning to AFLW in 2022.

With the Tokyo Olympics being rescheduled to next year as a result of the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic, Dalton will be required to be based in Sydney.

This logistical challenge means she is unable to play in next year’s AFLW competition however Dalton has committed to be back in the Navy Blue guernsey in 2022 and has signed a new contract with the Club.

Blues GM of Women’s Football Ash Brown said Dalton had the Club’s full support in aiming to become a dual Olympian.

“Chloe is an elite athlete who has given everything she has to our program over the last two seasons,” Brown said.

“The Olympics is obviously an opportunity that very few people will ever get to experience so we are fully supportive of Chloe setting herself the goal of winning back-to-back Olympic gold for Australia.

“She has already committed to return to our football club at the end of the Olympics so we look forward to her being part of our side for the 2022 season.”