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Guidomedia
AllFlying |
News archive, October
2005 Click
to return to our archives Boxing
knocked out (Oct. 28)
The International Olympic Committee (IOC)
has decided not to include women's boxing for the 2008 Beijing Olympics held in
China, but the sport could be included in London 2012.
The sport of boxing
has become more popular over the years due to female boxers like Muhammad Ali's
daughter, Laila.
Even though boxing will not be included, the IOC has decided
to expand the number of female competitors by including a women's 3000m steeplechase
and a 10km open water swimming event for both men and women for Beijing.
Also
included for Beijing is the increased number of teams for women's football, hockey
and handball. This will increase the teams from 10 to 12 and include an extra
80 women into the competition.
The addition of more women's sports and teams
comes after the realization during the Athens games that 59 per cent competitors
were men and only 41per cent were women. This statistic was something that the
IOC wanted to balance out.
Some other changes that may take place for Beijing
2008 is the replacement of the doubles event in table tennis with men's and women's
team events.
A venue for the open water event for London 2012 Games has not
yet been decided, but it is most likely going to be held close to central London
and could take place in the Royal Docks.
By Nataskia van Dam Australia
performing well at All Nations (Oct 27)
The All Nations touch football
tournament is underway in Christchurch, New Zealand, with over 14 nations competing.
Australia has sent teams in men's, women's and mixed open, men's, women's and
mixed 30s, and men's 35s, 40s and 45s.
However, it is the Australian women's
open, 30s and 35s teams that are the pace-setters early on in the tournament winning
all their pool matches, defeating NZ Maori 7-0, Niue 14-0 and the Cook Islands
14-1.
Due to an insufficient number of teams, there is a combined women's
30s and 35s pool. The Australian women's 30s team began with a solid victory over
Oceania 35s and the women's 35s easily defeated the Cook Islands 16-0.
The
Australian women's 30s will now take on arch rivals New Zealand in the finals
and they will be looking to use the match against their countrywomen as a build
up to facing the 'Touch Blacks'.
The Australian mixed open team will also face
New Zealand who have scored an incredible 51 tries on day one of the tournament.
The Aussie team has dealt with its opponents with ease to date, defeating Singapore
15-0. Niue 6-2 and 10-3 over Samoa.
By Stephen Ritchie Second
female jockey in Caulfield Cup history (Oct 26)
All eyes were on
19-year-old female apprentice jockey who rode Wild Iris in this year's Caulfield
Cup and she say's she'd love to one-day ride in the Melbourne Cup.
Kathy O'Hara
became the first apprentice jockey and only the second female jockey to ride in
the Caulfield Cup, following on from Bev Buckingham who road Brave Trespasser
in 1987.
O'Hara was chosen to ride Wild Iris after the suspension of Glen Boss
earlier that week. High profile jockey's including Shane Dye were overlooked by
trainer Guy Walter, as he had no hesitation in choosing O'Hara.
“I've
got a big opinion of her,” Walter told The Age. “We think she's a really
promising rider, so we decided to give her a go.”
The reputation of the
Caulfield Cup as being one of Australia's toughest and roughest races doesn't
phase this years crowned champion apprentice.
“I've got no doubt I'm as
strong as them (the males),” O'Hara told The Age.
Despite fine
conditions O'Hara and Wild Iris didn't challenge the leaders and came in 17th
place, but her ride was strong and consistent and she proved that she could perform
with the beast.
If she keeps improving her riding we may one day see this
female jockey, not only riding but winning the prestigious Melbourne Cup.
Race
results:
1st Railings; 2nd Eye Popper; 3rd Mummify; 4th Natural Blitz; 5th
Leica Falcon; 6th El Segundo; 7th Plastered; 8th Portland Singa; 9th Carte Diamond;
10th Demerger; 11th Dizelle; 12th Hollow Bullet; 13th Lachlan River; 15th Sir
Dex; 16th Razkalla; 17th Wild Iris; 18th Vouvray.
By Taryn Preston
The
Age home; Story
Coaching
ideas too wayward (Oct 26)
Australian fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick
caused a stir when she was employed to assist the Australian men's team prepare
for their Super Test against the World XI at the SCG earlier this month.
It
has been suggested the fast bowler was asked to provide fast bowling assistance
to the struggling men's team, who went the entire Ashes series without a specialist
bowling coach.
Former Australian fast bowler Geoff Lawson one was of many commentators
enraged by the decision.
"It is a symptom of too many peripheral and left-field
coaching ideas rather than paying attention to the basics of preparing a cricket
team to play a Test match,” he told Melbourne's Age recently.
"I
don't know if Glenn McGrath or Brett Lee are going to pick up too much out of
it, which makes you wonder what is the point of it."
However, Cricket
Australia defended the move saying that Fitzpatrick, an experienced coach at club
level and currently a scholarship coach with Cricket Australia, was simply undertaking
apprenticeship coursework.
"She is working with the bowlers but her role
is wide and varied," Cricket Australia stated.
By Shane Worrell Molik's
career on back foot (Oct 25)
 Australia's
highest ranked female tennis star and current world number 23, Alicia Molik, is
facing a premature end to her career due to the inner-ear virus that has hampered
her past seven months.
A Senior Victorian neurologist, at the Royal Victorian
Eye and Ear Hospital, Dr Mark Paine, has warned that one-quarter of those who
are diagnosed with vestibular neuronitis end up with residual nerve damage.
Dr
Paine told the Herald Sun that he believes there is a glimmer of hope for Molik
to continue to play international tennis, however he said that, “in some
people, it may take up to six or 12 months, and then a proportion-maybe 20 to
25 percent-don't recover fully and are left with residual problem.”
The
infection has affected Molik's stability and timing, forcing her to take a temporary
break from the game. Dr Paine said in the Herald Sun that, “For an
elite athlete, even if they've got a minor residual problem, it might be enough
to prevent them from performing satisfactorily-maybe ever. But sometimes the recovery
can be very slow and sometimes the recovery depends on a specifically designed
rehab program. Usually, there is an acute viral insult, which then gradually resolves,
and most people recover fully or, if not, almost fully.”
Dr Paine was
reported as telling the Herald Sun that with the right rehabilitation program,
it is possible for Molik to return after a three-or-four month break. “But
I would have thought that six to 12 months would be a reasonable time period and
then reassess after that.”
As a result of the infection, Molik will therefore
miss the Australian Open, the Sydney International and the Hopman Cup this coming
January.
By Stephen Ritchie
Herald
Sun Triple
Treat for McMahon! (October 23)
Sharelle McMahon has won her third
Commonwealth Bank Most Valuable Player award at the National Netball League awards,
topping off a stunning year for the Melbourne Phoenix co-captain. The goal-attack
shot 479 goals this season at an average of 29.9 and 83 per cent accuracy, to
lead the Phoenix to a record fifth premiership. McMahon is one of only three Phoenix
players, along with co-captain Eloise Southby-Halbish and Ingrid Dick, to have
played in all three premierships. She joined Australian captain Liz Ellis (1996,
1998, 2002) as the only players to have won the award three times, having previously
won the $10,000 prize in 2000 and 2005. McMahon won with 68 votes, nine clear
of her Australian shooting partner Catherine Cox. Kristen Heinrich from the Adelaide
Thunderbirds finished third with 47 votes. Australian coach Norma Plummer congratulated
McMahon on her award and praised her courage and endeavor in making a successful
return from ankle surgery. "I think the kid has done a brilliant job in getting
back," she said. "She's been through the wars, with three ankle operations…and
has looked down the barrel, at times, wondering whether it was all worth it.”
Adding to her delight, McMahon was also named goal attack in the team of the year
for the fourth successive year. Joining McMahon in the team of the year are her
Phoenix team-mates Bianca Chatfield (goal-keeper), Natasha Chokljat (wing defence)
and Johannah Curran (goal defence). Adelaide Thunderbird team-mates and sisters
Laura (wing attack) and Natalie von Bertouch (centre) and Catherine Cox (goal-shooter)
from the Sydney Swifts are the other members of the team. In other awards Cox
was named Australian team player of the year for the second consecutive year.
Chokljat captured the Player’s Player award, Clare McMeniman from the AIS
Canberra Darters the Best New Talent award and the Thunderbird’s Kirby Mutton
the World Youth Netball Championships player of the series. The Phoenix continued
their dominance of the night when Coach Julie Hoornweg was named domestic coach
of the year. Also acknowledged on the night was the media, with Warren Partland
from The Advertiser given the Tanya Denver Award for best overall media coverage
while photographer Cameron Richardson, also of The Advertiser, picked up the award
for best photograph.
By Sally Browne
Netball Australia website Illness
forces another setback for Molik (Oct 20)
Alicia Moliks's inner-ear
condition forced her out of yet another tournament yesterday; this time her opening
round match at the Zurich Open in Switzerland.
The former world number eight
and eighth seeded Australian was forced to retire toward the end of the second
set in her match against Jelena Jankovic. The final score read a disappointing
6-3, 4-2 for Molik.
Molik was looking to defend her Zurich Open title that
she claimed in 2004, defeating teenage Russian superstar, Maria Sharapova. Zurich
was Molik's first tier one title and a huge highlight in her career.
Molik
continues to feel the effects of vestibular neuronitis, which she contracted in
March of this year and has forbade her progress past the opening round in eight
of her past nine tournaments. The condition leaves the sufferer low on energy
and with poor balance and vision.
"She's still struggling from the vestibular
neuronitis. It's not something that's recurred over the last 24 hours," her
manager Lisa Chaffey said.
The set back puts in doubt Molik's Australian Open
2006 campaign even though she has indicated her intention to play tournaments
in Hasselt and Philadelphia to finish out the 2005 circuit.
High hopes are
held for Molik's return to Australia as she defeated Venus Williams in last year's
event and made it to the quarterfinals.
Molik's manager maintains that Aussie
star's priority is improving her health, staying positive and looking after herself.
"It's
something she's working through, and looking after (her) health is the most important
thing,” Chaffey said.
By Leah Bound British
driver to test drive for F1 team Minardi (Oct 20)
British racing
driver Katherine Legge is geared up to test drive for Minardi in November, after
a spectacular season at the Toyota Atlantic Series in the United States. She finished
third in her debut season and won three races for the series.
Legge, who turned
25 in July, has been racing for over ten years. As only the second woman to test
drive an F1 car since Italian Giovanna Amati tested for Brabham in 1992, she is
sure to cause a stir in the male dominated racing world, when she get behind an
F1 wheel for the first time. The test drive takes place in Italy on November 21
and depending on how fast her lap times are, she may have other opportunities
to get behind the wheel.
On November 1, Minardi changes hands to Red Bull
which is renaming the team SquadroToro Rosso, after it bought out Australian Paul
Stoddart.
Minardi is excited about the prospect of Legge testing. Team boss
Stoddart said, “We have been watching Katherine's progress for some while
now, and with her outstanding performances in the Toyota Atlantic Championship
this season, we felt she was clearly deserving of a chance to experience a Formula
1 car”.
By Antonia Magee Indian
star asks for Australian coach (Oct 20)
 Former
Australian Davis Cup Coach Tony Roche has been approached by Indian tennis sensation
Sania Mirza to guide her through a three-week training camp just before Christmas.
The
18-year-old Indian is said to need some work “particularly on her serve”,
according to her coach, Jaidip Mukerjea.
“I think at this stage, the people
who are looking after (Mirza) just felt that she needs a bit of work on a few
areas of her game, so I am just going to have a look at her and just see what
she needs to do,” Roche told The Age Newspaper.
“She's had a pretty
good year, made some big inroads, so it will be interesting to see.”
Mirza
rose from outside the World's top 200, into the top 40 within 12 months, with
strong performances on the WTA Circuit, reaching the fourth round of the US Open,
the third round of the Australian Open, as well as winning her first title in
Hyderabad, India.
Roche has had a history improving players' games, and has
taken under his wing some of the biggest names including Former World Number One's
Pat Rafter and Ivan Lendl. His current protégé is World Number One,
Roger Federer, to whom he has helped win this year's Wimbledon and US Open titles.
By
Rick D'Andrea
Mirza fan
site Swimmer
wins Sportswoman of the Year (Oct 20)
The American Women's Sports
Foundation has named Erin Popovich, an Olympic Gold medallist in paralympic swimming,
the 2005 Sporstwoman of the Year.
The 26th annual event honours those women
whose performance over a twelve-month period has been exceptional.
The criteria
for nomination is based on new records achieved and world championships won.
Popovich's
performance at the 2004 Paralympic Games in Athens was what secured her the award.
She won a gold medal in every event that she competed in for Team USA and
set five new American records.
Popovich also won three gold medals at the Sydney
Olympics and plans to compete in Beijing in 2008.
"As I look at it, there's
still four more world records I can achieve," she said.
Popovich said
all of her victories were hard fought for.
"It always comes down to the
wire," she said.
"There's always somebody staring me down the last
10 yards or so."
Australia's Lauren Jackson was nominated for the 2005
Team Sportswoman of the Year category along with Kristen Kjellman (lacrosse),
Misty May-Treanor & Kerri Walsh (beach volleyball), Krissy Wendell (hockey),
Cat Osterman (softball), and Ogonna Nnamani (volleyball).
Cat Osterman, the
youngest member of the 2004 U.S. Olympic softball team, won this category.
Osterman
is currently a senior at University of Texas-Austin and has led her team to a
third-place finish last season at the Women's College World Series for the second
time in three seasons.
Osterman competed well at the Athens Olympics pitching
14 2-3 scoreless innings and said she is saddened that her sport has since been
dropped from Olympic competition.
"It was a heartbreaker," she said.
"None of us expected it. It was devastating for our sport because it
was on the rise. We're in a fight to get it reinstated right now. We do feel very
confident in that fight."
Osterman has also been honored with two ESPY
Awards.
Angela Duckworth was presented with the SportsGirl of the Year award.
Duckworth, 15, is an up and coming American swimmer and already holds a national
ranking.
The Women's Sports Foundation, founded by Billie Jean King, hosted
the 26th annual awards dinner, which raises more than $1 million annually for
education and grant programs for girls and women in sports.
By Jacqueline
Scott
Australian
domestic structure the best (Oct 20)
Australia's domestic cricket
structure has been praised in a recent Asian cricket seminar in Pakistan.
Officials
from India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka met in Lahore recently to discuss ways of improving
domestic structures in their respective countries.
Sri Lankan Women's Cricket
Association President Gwen Heart said Australia's domestic and club system should
be used as a model for the Asian nations, saying the difficulty in attracting
sponsors was holding back proposed improvements.
“We lack the much-needed
inter-club program because of lack of funds, an area of grave importance. If we
can get these two schedules going, it will add more clout to women's cricket future,”
she said.
The discussions come as Pakistan prepares to host the inaugural Asia
Cup in late December.
Pakistan Cricket Board Women's secretary Shamsa Hashmi
says the tournament, which will see Asian heavyweights India take on Pakistan
and Sri Lanka, will be beneficial to cricket in Asia.
"It's a big honour
for Pakistan to be the first host of the Asia Cup and the event will definitely
raise the standard of cricket in Asia," Hashmi said.
Support for the game
has been growing in Asia, following the ICC taking control of the women's game
worldwide and the Pakistan Cricket Board now responsible for the game on a national
level.
By Shane Worrell Silver
Ferns team named (Oct 20)
The New Zealand Silver Ferns selection
process has finished and the chosen members will compete against Australia in
the Fisher and Paykel Cup next week. This match will be the first part of a tour
in preparation for the Commonwealth Games.
The selected team members are: Irene
van Dyk, Jodi Te Huna, Belinda Colling, Maria Tutaia, Temepara George (vice-captain),
Adine Wilson (Captain), Laura Langman, Anna Rowberry, Vilimaina Davu, Anna Scarlett,
Leana de Bruin and Casey Williams (pending medical clearance).
Silver Ferns
coach, Ruth Aitken, admitted to Netball New Zealand that it was a rigorous selection
process and a very tough decision.
“When we identified 21 trialists of
such high calibre it was always going to be a tough selection but we are very
pleased with the balance of youth and experience and the versatility of playing
options available,” she said.
The New Zealand and Australian netball teams
have always been fierce competitors and this will be the first time the two have
matched up since Australia's exciting semi-final loss during the 2003 World Netball
Championships.
“We are now focused on the Fisher & Paykel Cup against
Australia, so it has been important to select in-form players with expertise and
versatility for now and the building for the future,” Aitken said.
Following
the Cup, both teams will travel to Jamaica to compete against the world-ranked
number three home side.
National Coach Norma Plummer told Netball Australia:
“We are going to New Zealand and Jamaica to play world number one and three
to ensure we have everything covered, leaving us with no surprises, come March
2006.”
By Sarah Carson Matildas
Match It With Heavyweights USA (Oct 20)
The
Qantas Matildas have, for the first time in 17 encounters between the two, kept
the USA scoreless in their 0-0 drawn tour match in Fullarton, California on Monday.
The
Matildas have now drawn their last two matches against last years Olympic gold
medallists after having lost all 15 previous meetings.
It is also the first
time that the USA, ranked second in the world, have been kept scoreless in their
past 40 international matches, and brought to an end their eight-game winning
streak.
Australian Coach Tom Sermanni was pleased with his team's defensive
skills and proud of the final result.
”We limited the USA to just a few
good chances in the entire match which is testament to some terrific defending
on our part but at the same time we also looked comfortable when we had possession,”
Sermanni said after the match.
The match was the first of three to be played
by the Matildas in the US, as preparation for their World Cup qualifying tournament
in 2006, and on current form the Matildas will be confident of a smooth passage
into the 2007 World Cup.
They will today take on Mexico at El Paso Patriots
Stadium, Texas and then head back to California to play the Sacramento Storm at
the Home Depot Centre on Sunday.
By Sam Ryan
Soccer Australia website Brighter
winter prospects (Oct 20)
 With
only four months until the biggest winter sporting event, Australia looked like
another nation making up the numbers in a sport dominated by European powerhouses.
It
had its medal hopes shattered with the news that reigning Olympic Champion and
World number one freestyle aerialist Alisa Camplin (pictured) had torn her anterior
cruciate ligament in her right knee whilst training in the United States , and
World number two Lydia Ierodiaconou recovering from the same injury as Camplin.
The only real hope that remained was teenage sensation Torah Bright in the snowboarding
half-pipe event.
"I don't think it's sunk in yet," Camplin told Sportal.com.au
, "I just can't believe this has happened, given how well everything had
been going."
Camplin decided to practise a new aerial manoeuvre, the quadruple
twisting double somersault, after she had become the first woman in freestyle
skiing history to execute a Full Triple Full jump.
"My old competition
jumps had become really easy, and my new quad twisting jumps had advanced well
beyond expectations for this stage of my Olympic campaign." Camplin said.
"I
was so excited with the way my jumping had progressed in the last month,"
But
the news is not so bad, with Camplin undergoing radical surgery last Thursday
to repair her injured knee. The surgery was such a success, that surgeons have
told the 29-year-old that she may be back on her skis before Christmas, with the
possibility of being in Northern Italy competing for a medal in mid-February.
Australia
's current golden-girl in Alisa Camplin will hopefully join another golden-haired
girl in Torah Bright to win a gold medal in Turin . Bright qualified for the Olympic
Games after she finished third at the Bardonecchia World Cup Event in March.
The
promising thing about this result is that this will be the place where the snowboarding
competition will be held during next year's Olympic Games. Bright has also won
a World Cup event on this course, taking out the same tournament last year, her
first as a professional snowboarder.
The hype surrounding Bright has some very
strong merit attached to it. In May earlier this year, she took out the annual
Snowboard Athlete of the Year, the Junior Athlete of the Year and the Junior Snowboarder
of the Year. Not only did she receive these prestigious accolades, but she is
also the highest ranked winter athlete from the Southern Hemisphere - men included.
The
Cooma-born rider says she is not feeling the pressure of being touted as a real
gold medal prospect for Australia , in fact, Bright just "brush(es) it off,"
as she told the Sydney Morning Herald earlier this year.
"When people
introduce me as a gold medal prospect I just brush it off."
"The
only pressure I feel," Bright says, "is the pressure to see the sport
and female snowboarders progress."
"After the Olympics, I've got
a whole winter of competitions as well, so it's not the be-all and end-all for
me," Bright remarks.
Australia 's prospects of improving its reputation
as a winter sporting nation beyond Turin and into Vancouver 2010 look promising.
But for now, an improving performance in four months time looks possible, after
such a rocky road.
By Rick D'Andrea Aussies
take on world no.3 (Oct 20)
The Australian netball team is set to
take on the world number three Jamaican Team in a three part test series in early
November. Kingston in Jamaica will host the showdown on November fourth, fifth
and seventh.
This is the first meeting between the pair since the 2003 World
Championships, where they fought out a thrilling semi final that saw Australia
through to the grand final.
Australia's squad was announced on October 15 for
both this test and the one off test against New Zealand on October 29. The 15
members of the squad is similar to the team that were defeated by New Zealand's
Silver Fern's in June of this year, minus Mo'onia Gerrard who was injured in that
June test.
This will be Australia's final tour before the Melbourne Commonwealth
Games in March 2006. Norma Palmer, Coach of the Aussie's, is using the test as
a warm up to the games. “We are going to New Zealand and Jamaica to play
world number one and three to ensure we have everything covered, leaving us with
no surprises, come March 2006,” said Palmer on Netball Australia's website.
The
squad is named on the Netball Australia website, along with further information
about the tours in both Jamaica and New Zealand.
By Sarah Watson Jackson's
season ends (Oct 19)
Canberra Capitol's star player, Lauren Jackson
is out for the 2005/2006 season, following a confirmed stress fracture in her
left shin. Jackson announced her injury at a press conference last night. The
injury is so severe; it is unsure whether Jackson will be able to play for Australia
at the Commonwealth Games in March. Jackson told the Canberra Times that
the injury was a shock “When I got back (from the WNBA) I was told to get
precautionary X-Rays on my leg, but they were only precautionary. This was pretty
much spur of the moment and very upsetting.”
The news has devastated her
Capitols team-mates and their coach, Carrie Graf, likened the news as like the
death of a family member. Although this may seem exaggerated, it shows how important
Jackson is to the Capitols line up. Canberra is the early favourites for the WNBL
championships, which is only a couple of weeks into the season. Canberra remains
undefeated thus far with Jackson scoring 29 points in the last game against the
Bulleen Boomers.
The is the second season running that Jackson has been unavailable
due to injury for her beloved Canberra team. She was forced to quit the 2004/2005
season due to ankle surgery. It seems that Jackson may have been playing with
fire, she has admitted she was aware of the injury prior to last week's round
of matches and wanted to help out her team mates. Unfortunately she will now be
unavailable for the remainder of their games.
By Antonia Magee
Aussies
stay cool in Hawaii heat (Oct 19)
An Australian may not have won
last Sunday's Hawaiian ironman, but the results showed a win is not far away.
On a typically hot day on the unforgiving Kona course, three Australian's
shone, setting record breaking times along the way.
Michellie Jones and Kate
Major finished second and third respectively, behind Swiss athlete Natascha Badmann
and in the men's event, four-time national ironman champion, Chris McCormack finally
lived up to his reputation posting the fastest marathon split on his way to sixth
place.
Jones finished second in only her second ironman distance race, showing
her ability to step up from the much shorter Olympic distance.
A scorching
bike leg set up the possibility of a win, but Badmann's experience allowed her
to overhaul her lead on the run leg. Badmann joined Paula Newby-Fraser as the
only woman to win six or more Hawaiian titles.
Jones told The Age, “It's
awesome - my second ironman, to come here and get second, man, you can tell I
haven't done many ironmans.”
Major repeated last year's third placing,
and like McCormack in the men's race, she set the fastest marathon split at three
hours, two minutes and 19 seconds, the third-fastest in Hawaiian ironman history.
She finished less than a minute behind Jones.
McCormack was the only Australian
male in the top 10, but recovered well to finish within 10 minutes of eventual
winner, Faris Al-Sultan of Germany.
His pre-race preparation over the lava
field lined marathon course proved the difference in the end, his joy evident
as he crossed the line.
“It's just a huge monkey off my back. I've had
a good run, it shows I can win here,” he told The Age.
A record 120 Australian's
took part in last Sunday's race which saw more than 1500 competitors take part
in the torturous 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km marathon run.
By
Peter Trevaskis World
Cup qualifiers loom (Oct 17)
The
Hockeyroos will be hoping to improve on the nil-all draw result from the last
time they encountered New Zealand when they battle out a three-match series to
qualify for the 2006 World Cup. The campaign begins in Auckland next weekend.
The
winner of the three-match tournament which moves to Sydney on November 3 and 5
will qualify automatically for the 11th Hockey World Cup which will be held in
Spain next year.
"We always expect a real contest against New Zealand.
They are continually improving, having forced their way back into the top six
women's nations. On any given day anyone in that top six could beat the other,"
national coach Frank Murray said.
The Hockeyroos have selected three younger
players fresh from their Junior World Cup campaign held in Chile last month. Madonna
Blyth, Kate Hollywood and Kobie McGurk were all part of the junior team that fell
to the Netherlands in the bronze medal play off that have been promoted to senior
level to take on New Zealand.
The blend of youth and experience will hopefully
pay off for Frank Murray who refuses to read to much into previous results and
has selected a team quite different from group that one the Indira Ghandi Gold
Cup just last month.
"You can't read too much into the results from India.
Both playing groups were different, conditions will be different," Murray
said.
By Leah Bound
Hockey
Australia Pierce
climbs to top 5 (Oct 17)
 Frenchwoman
Mary Pierce has topped off a stellar season after she won the prestigious Ladies
Kremlin Cup trophy by defeating Italian Francesca Schiavone 6-4, 6-3 in the final.
Not only had Pierce won the title for a second time in her illustrious career,
but the win also helped her move into fourth on the WTATour Singles Rankings,
ahead of compatriot Amelie Mauresmo and Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne.
Pierce
was unsure about whether continuing on for one more season, but her hard work
and determination kept her going for one more year.
“The hard work is
definitely paying off, that's for sure,” Pierce told the WTATour Website,
“I have said before that last year I wasn't sure if I would play again and
after much thought, decided I had more to do in tennis and really this year has
just been amazing.”
Whilst claiming her 39 the career singles victory,
Pierce has qualified for the season-ending WTA Championships in Los Angeles, where
she will meet the likes of Russian Maria Sharapova and Belgian Kim Clijsters,
to whom she lost in the US Open Final.
“This tournament was not on my
original schedule for this year, but I saw last month that I might qualify for
the Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships in Los Angeles, so decided to stay in
Europe and play the big events to try to get my points up,” Pierce said.
“It looks like I've made the right decision.”
By Rick D'Andrea
WTA
Tour Another
great round of basketball action (Oct 17)
Round three of the WNBL
Price Attack season brought plenty of action. The Bulleen Boomers travelled north
to the nation's capitol and took on the league championship favourites, the Canberra
Capitols. Although the result was close, they could not get past the strong offensive
Capitols line up of Lauren Jackson and Jenny Whittle. They scored 29 and 18 points
respectively. This was the first loss this season for Bulleen who convincingly
beat the AIS on Friday night by 48 points before yesterday's loss.
In the game
of the week between the Sydney Flames and the Adelaide Fellas, the Fellas did
not let Sydney's home court advantage hinder their tenacity and they won the tough
match by five points, 73-68. Adelaide had not beaten Sydney at home in the club's
history. The win was also bittersweet for the Fellas as the last time the two
teams met, Sydney won the match by a point and dashed any championship glory for
Adelaide. The Fellas then travelled north to take on Townsville but could not
follow up their Sydney win with another victory. The final score saw Townsville
the winner by nine, 99-90.
Next week in the WNBL, Dandenong return to play
after finishing fifth in the World League championships in Russia. They play Townsville
in Dandenong on Saturday night. Townsville also play Bulleen whilst they are in
Victoria. Canberra battle it out with Perth on Friday night and Sydney on Saturday.
Adelaide plays Perth to cap off another great round of basketball.
By Antonia
Magee
WNBL
Pierce
through to Kremlin Cup final (Oct 16)
 Number
three seeded Frenchwoman Mary Pierce has secured her place in the Kremlin Cup
final in Moscow where she will take on Italian woman Francesca Schiavone, who
is currently unseeded.
Pierce defeated unseeded Russian teenager Dinara Saffina
in the semi-final, winning in straight sets, 7/6 (2), 6/3 thus taking her one
step closer to the title. After a tough first set Pierce dominated in the second.
“I was not confident enough in the beginning of the match but after I
got up 4/1 (in the second set) I felt more comfortable,” said Pierce. “I
tried to make her run a lot to make her tired and that tactic seemed to work.”
In
the second semi-final, Schiavone beat no. 4 seed Elena Dementieva in a match that
lasted just over an hour, winning the match 6/3, 6/1.
“The score might
look like it was an easy match but it's misleading because in every rally I was
trying to figure out how to pressure her. In the end I was successful,” said
Schiavone.
The two finallists have only played each other once before in the
Federation Cup in 2004, where Pierce won in straight sets.
Mary Pierce won
the Kremlin Cup title in 1998 where she defeated Monica Seles. The no.3 seed has
already had a successful year winning 24 of her last 27 matches in the WTA tour
this year, including reaching the finals in two Grand Slam events- Roland Garros
and the US Open.
This year's winner of the Kremlin Cup women's singles title
will receive $180,000, while the runner up will win $102,000. The total prize
pool for the women's draw is $1.3 million.
By Danielle Tralli
WTA
Tour
Squash
Sisters through to semi-finals (Oct 16)
Australian sisters Rachael
and Natalie Grinham have advanced to the semi-finals of the British Open Squash
Championships in Manchester.
Top seeded Rachael Grinham defeated England's
no. 7 seed Jenny Duncalf 5/9, 9/4, 9/6, 9/1 in a match that lasted 60 minutes.
“I had trouble getting the ball tight in the first game and Jenny played
really well,” said Rachael Grinham after her win.
She will go on to play
the no.3 seeded Malaysian Nicol David in her next match. David secured her place
in the semi-final after defeating England's favourite Vicky Bortright where she
fought back after losing the first two games.
Younger sister and no. 5 seed
Natalie Grinham will face English woman Tamin Bailey in the second semi-final.
If
both sisters can win their semi-final berths then they will face each other in
the final.
Rachael Grinham is chasing her third consecutive title at the event
that has been referred to as “the Wimbledon of squash.” If Rachael Grinham
wins the title she will become the first player to do so since fellow Australian
Michelle Martin who won six consecutive British Open titles from 1993 to 1998.
After
the new October Women's World Squash rankings were revealed, it showed that Rachael
Grinham still holds the top ranking position. She has remained at the top spot
for fifteen consecutive months and won last month's Seattle Open.
Younger sister
Natalie Grinham hasn't been as lucky after slipping down one spot to be ranked
no. 5. Natalie Grainger of the US overtook the no. 4 position.
Natalie Grinham
has had a disappointing run recently after failing to achieve her seeding on three
out of the last four events she has competed in.
Both sisters also made the
semi-finals in the Malaysian Open in August, however they both lost their matches
in five games.
The next event Rachael and Natalie Grinham are scheduled to
play at is the Airdrie Chrysler Calgary Open in Canada this month.
By
Danielle Tralli
Pakistani
women's finals a riot (Oct 16)
Pakistan's first ever women's championship
soccer tournament final resulted in a catfight between the two finalists, team
Punjab and team Wapda.
Punjab won the first National Women's Football Championship
held at Jinnah Stadium, taking home with them 50,000 rupees (approximately US$900).
They
defeated Pakistan Wapda (Water and Power Development Authority) 1-0 with a penalty
kick. However, Wapda tried to argue against the goal when their goalie got injured
during the penalty, resulting in a mass brawl between the two teams.
A long
delay ensued when the WAPDA players threatened to walk off the pitch.
The game
only started to resume after tournament organizers and Pakistan Sports Board director
Arif Mehmud Siddique intervened.
The first women's football championship was
held in an attempt to promote women sports in Pakistan. It followed strict Islamic
guidelines including no men spectators and fully covered women players.
By
Nataskia van Dam
Coughlin
leads USA into Sydney (Oct 16)
USA Olympic champion Natalie Coughlin
is on her way to Australia to tackle our best female swimmers at the FINA World
Cup to be held in November.
Coughlin may take on the likes of Libby Lenton,
Giann Rooney and Jodie Henry on November 19 and 20 at the Sydney Olympic Park
Aquatic Centre.
Coughlin has won 11 world championship medals and despite holding
four short course world records, the Californian is yet to win a World title in
a 25m pool.
Joining Coughlin for the US will be Margaret Hoelzer, who is reining
world short course champion of the 200m backstroke.
A finalist over 200m backstroke
at last year's Athens Olympics, Hoelzer has finished second at FINA World Long
Course Championships in the same event for the past two years.
If Coughlin
decides to concentrate on backstroke she and Hoelzer will line up against World
long course 50m champion Giann Rooney, but if freestyle is to be her forte she
will run into Jodie Henry and Libby Lenton.
Henry forced the Coughlin into
the minor medals in the 100m freestyle event at both the Olympic Games in 2004
and the World Championships this year.
And Lenton is in contention too after
beating the world record for the distance twice at the Telstra Australian Short
Course Championships in August with stunning times of 51.91 and 51.70.
Despite
the performances of these Australian swimmers, USA Swimming's High Performance
Director John Walker is confident of Couglin's short course abilities.
“Natalie
is known internationally for her success in the long course arena, but she has
been one of the most successful and versatile short course swimmers in American
history,” he said.
Australia's National Head Coach Alan Thompson said
he welcomes Coughlin and Hoelzer to the event.
"There is certainly no
room for complacency in any sport and for our girls to know that Natalie and Margaret
will be here will ensure there will be some great racing," he said.
"Natalie
is one of the finest all-round swimmers in the world and when it comes to short
course racing her skills off the walls are second to none,”
"She
will be a major draw-card, that's for sure and we are in for some awesome races,”
"Margaret
is also one of the best backstrokers on the international stage and it will be
ideal for our girls to have her here."
By Jacqueline Scott 15-year-old
to bowl for Australia (Oct 13)
 Sunshine
Coast schoolgirl Kelsey Cottrell is set to become the youngest lawn bowler ever
to represent Australia at next month's Asia Pacific Championship.
The 15-year-old
prodigy was named in the national team today following an intensive training camp
at the Darebin International Sports Centre- the home of bowls in the 2006 Commonwealth
Games.
Cottrell caught selectors attention when she defeated 2002 Commonwealth
Games silver medallist Karen Murphy and leading Australian player Maria Rigby
in January this year.
She won a place in the Australian Bowls Squad in March
and has continued to make headlines with strong performances and a victory at
the Australian Junior Championship singles.
Lynsey Armitage previously laid
claim to being the youngest bowler to represent Australia when she played in the
2003 Asia Pacific Bowls Championship at 19.
Now 21, Armitage has also been
named in this team along with Karen Murphy, Maria Rigby, Roma Dunn and Katrina
Wright.
The women's side averages 33 years of age with the youngest just 15
years and the eldest 62.
Cottrell will lead for world championship silver medallists
Katrina Wright and Roma Dunn in the triples.
Armitage and Muphy will combine
in the pairs while Rigby, the reigning Australian indoor singles champion, secured
the coveted singles position.
Speaking last year on the ABC, Cottrell said
the most important thing to her is to stay focussed.
“To be the best I
can is always on the top of my mind. To play at the Commonwealth Games, that would
be great” she said.
And if she keeps going the way she is, she might just
make it.
With the Asia Pacific Championship being the last major tournament
before the 2006 Commonwealth Games, Australia will be aiming to impress with a
haul of medals.
“Australia has so many talented junior bowlers and Darren
Morrison and Kelsey Cottrell have already shown that they have what it takes to
mix it with best,” said Bowls Australia chief executive Mark Rendell.
“It
is important to foster our country’s up-and-coming players and prepare them
for elite competition so this will be an important step for both of them.
“I’m
sure it will be a thrill for our national junior champions to compete against
the sport’s top players.”
This year's championship will be held from
November 7 to 17, and 17 countries will be participating.
By Lauren Hilbert
Pressure
on Thompson (Oct 13)
 Long
jumper Bronwyn Thompson has failed in her first attempt to qualify for the Australian
2006 Commonwealth Games team, managing a distance of 6.09m at the Big Red Relays
meet in Brisbane over the weekend.
Thompson, who placed fourth in the 2004
Athens Olympic Games, has yet to reach the Commonwealth Games A Qualifier distance
of 6.55m and has only until the fifth of February 2006 to cement her place in
team.
The Brisbane event was Thompson's first meet back after injuring her
knee last November which resulted in surgery cutting short her stunning 2004 season
and causing her to miss the 2005 Helsinki World Championships.
"Everything
that can go wrong with the knee happened. The capsule that holds the knee together
was also severely damaged," Thompson said
The 6.09 jump over the weekend
falls well short of Thompson's 2002 personal best and Australian Record leap of
7.0m and her 2004 distances of 6.96m and 6.88m.
It is hoped that Thompson's
form will improve dramatically over the coming months and Australian domestic
season so she can challenge for Commonwealth Games gold come March 2006.
After
finishing a disappointing sixth at the 2002 Manchester Commonwealth Games after
being labeled a gold medal prospect, Thompson however is reluctant to talk up
her medal chances in the wake of this latest injury.
“I just want to get
there,” Thompson said.
Thompson's chances appear better now than they
did late last year when she was not expected to return to competition until as
late as January 2006.
Fans are hopeful that Thompson can overcome this latest
injury to challenge for gold in Melbourne. Thompson has a history of remarkable
comebacks after injury. After the 2000 Sydney Olympics she had a tumor the size
of a golf ball removed from her take-off foot and returned for the 2001 Goodwill
Games with a leap of 6.88m.
By Leah Bound
Thompson profile at Athletics.org
Molik
defeated in Kremlin Cup (Oct 13)
Australia's number one ranked female
tennis player Alicia Molik was defeated in straight sets by fellow countrywoman
Samantha Stosur. Molik lost the match in just over an hour, 6-3, 6-2.
Molik's
bad run continued as she lost her seventh opening round in eight tournaments since
March. Molik will have to improve remarkably to defend her titles she won in 2004
in Stockholm, Zurich and Luxembourg.
Molik's year has been plagued by injury
as she suffered an ear infection with prevented her from competing at the French
Open and Wimbledon.
It appeared that Molik was still hampered by the injury
which was affecting her balance and her strength. Against Stosour, she committed
33 unforced errors.
Molik'd record for 2005 is 18 wins, 22 losses and she will
face inform Russian Dinara Safina in the next round.
By Stephen Ritchie World
basketball in Russia (Oct 13)
The third annual women's World
League Basketball championships have commenced in Samara, Russia this week. The
championships are promoted as determining the greatest club team on the planet,
according to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA). The Dandenong Jayco
Rangers represent Australia; the Rangers were premiers in the WNBL last season.
Other countries being represented include Cuba, China, Korea, USA, Russia
and Brazil.
Australia is one win, two losses, after being defeated by Brazilian
Club Unimed de Ourinhos last night, 66-75. Dandenong forward, Emma Lee Randall,
has started strongly in the preliminary round. Randall has made the top ten players
for overall points, 2 points and free throws for the championships.
Dandenong
play VBM-SGAU from Samara, Russia, this evening to take the team through to the
semi-finals on the weekend. VBM-SGAU are the favourites for the competition
having already won the last two World League championships.
By Antonia
Magee
FIBA Ski
champ for surgery (Oct 13)
Australian aerial skiing sensation Alisa
Camplin will undergo radical knee surgery today in Melbourne in a bid to defend
her title at February's Winter Olympics in Turin.
The 29-year-old Camplin injured
her knee while training in New York this week.
Camplin was attempting a new
double somersault jump when the accident occurred. It's the second time she's
torn her knee ligament this year.
A spokesman for he Olympic Winter Institute,
Barry White, says if doctors use donated tissue to replace the ligament, Camplin's
recovery time may be shortened.
„A donor ligament certainly shortens the
time of recovery,” he said. “But it's still a lengthy recovery period
- it's several months.”
The 2002 Salt Lake City gold medallist is expected
to struggle to be near her best for the Games but has high hopes of returning
to competition.
Mr White said Camplin was staying positive about her Olympic
chances.
“She's certainly very positive, she believes that she can still
do it,” he said.
“She believes she‚s come back in the past from
serious setbacks, serious injuries, and proved she can overcome them, so certainly
she's got a great fighting spirt.”
It's the same surgery technique used
by team-mate Lydia Ierodiaconou, who had the operation in June and was back on
skis less than three months later. (Click here for another take on the Camplin
story)
By Lauren Hilbert
(Click
here for another take on the Camplin story) Davenport
wins title number 50 (Oct 13)
Former women's Number One player
Lindsay Davenport last week took out her 50th career singles title after she defeated
another former Number One in Frenchwoman Amelie Mauresmo 6-2, 6-4 at the Porsche
Tennis Grand Prix in Germany.
Davenport had it all her way against Mauresmo
in the first set, only allowing her opponent to win one of the last seven games.
But the Frenchwomen came back stronger in the second set, and took a commanding
4-2 lead, only to be overpowered by the American in the last four games.
Mauresmo told the WTATour website that her performance was "disappointing".
"It was very tough today with the way she was serving. The only
chance I had was in the sixth game of the second set and she played perfect again
after that," she said.
"I was disappointed with how I served, especially
in the first set, and she's too good at returning when she gets a lot of chances
on the second (serve).
"I'm disappointed I couldn't step it up when
I led 4-2 in the second,"
The American capped off a successful tournament
only dropping one set on her way to winning the German event, and defending her
title. She takes home $98,500 in prize money and a brand new Porsche car.
"This has been a really great week for me," said Davenport. "I've
been able to play at a high level and keep it up, very much the same as last year
here. I was really fired up to play well and I'm glad I did that. I
was in control of most of the match, dictating most of the rallies and played
very well winning those four games in a row in the middle of the first set and
again to finish the match."
Davenport is now only three singles titles
away from surpassing another great American tennis star in Monica Seles, who sits
on 53 title wins.
By Rick D'Andrea Basketball
game of the week (Oct 13)
 Round
3 ABC Game of the Week Preview
Who: Sydney Uni Flames Vs. Adelaide Fellas
When: Friday October 14, 7:30 start
Where: Sydney University Sports
and Aquatic Centre, Sydney
Broadcasting times: ABC TV at 3pm Saturday &
ABC2 at 11 am Sunday
In their first meeting since last years semi finals,
the ABC game of the week between Sydney and Adelaide is bound to be a cracker.
The Adelaide Fellas will be itching to exact their revenge on last years
runners up, and with two narrow looses on the road last week, their hunger will
be all the more.
However, don't for a second think the GET Sydney Uni Flames
wont be as ferocious as ever. Also loosing against both Melbourne teams
in round 1, but recovering with a deserved victory in Townsville last Saturday,
the Flames are looking to build momentum and secure the place in the four they
know they deserve.
Opals Trish Fallon, Natalie Porter, Belinda Snell and
Laura Summerton are guaranteed ensure the standard is high, whilst guns Jenni
Screen, Michelle Musselwhite and Round 2 player of the week Erin Phillips (who
averaged 22.5points, 7 boards and 5.5 assists in the two matches in Melbourne
last weekend) will keep the court at boiling point.
However, maintaining
the intensity for the full four quarters will test the depth of both sides, and
will prove the key to this match. Expect to see a physical in and under
match with some tight defence.
In front of the home crowd, the tip
is Sydney will have it just over Adelaide.
Belinda Snell will celebrate 1000
career points for the Flames if she can hit 25 for the game.
WNBL Round 2
results Date
| Host
| | Visitors
| 7/10
| Dandenong
(82) | Vs.
| Adelaide
(72) | 8/10
| Bulleen
(84) | Vs.
| Adelaide
(82) | 8/10
| Townsville
(68) | Vs.
| Sydney
Uni (73) | 8/10
| AIS
(79) | Vs.
| Perth
(86) | 9/10
| AIS
(59) | Vs.
| Perth
(93) | By
Jesse Bilkey
Visit www.wnbl.com.au
Spirit
looking to defend title (Oct 13)
 Victoria
Spirit will be looking to defend the title it won in 2004/05 when the Women's
National Cricket League commences next month.
Victoria will be hampered by
the loss of former Australian captain Belinda Clark who retired from cricket following
the recent Ashes tour.
Clark was the competition's leading run scorer last
season with 397 runs at 44.11.
Her departure opens the door for promising
youngster Tammy Norquay, who may be given an early opportunity to impress.
The Spirit will hope the experienced Mel Jones can emulate her 2004/05 heroics
with the bat and Clea Smith can put in another fine performance with the ball.
Veteran quick Cathryn Fitzpatrick will once again spearhead the attack in
what may be her last season for the Spirit.
The Spirit's main competition
is expected to come from archrivals New South Wales, the team it narrowly beat
in last season's finals series.
Victoria will take on South Australia in
its season opener in Adelaide on November 19.
By Shane Worrell
Victoria
Spriti home page -- www.vicspirit.com.au
Netball
win for NSW (Oct 9)
New South Wales has taken out the open division
in a thriller over Victoria of the Athlete's Foot National Netball Championship.
New South Wales defeated Victoria 59-57 in extra time.
The teams where deadlocked
at both the first quarter break and when the final siren rang out. At 46 a piece
the teams were forced to play out the championship in over time.
Goaler's Joanne
Morgan and Susan Pratley shot fiercely for New South Wales in the first half of
over time. However the Victorians answered every goal resulting in the teams still
being interlocked at the break.
The final half of the extra time saw strong
defence in both teams with New South Wales taking a two goal lead in the final
five minutes of the game. This resulted in a victory when the final siren rang
out.
This win has crowned New South Wales as back to back National Champions
after their win in the 2004 competition.
In the under 21 division Western Australia
were crowned the Champions after defeating the South Australians 60 to 53. The
Western Australians led by two goals at the first break and extended this lead
throughout the match to become the best team in the Nation for 2005.
Full match
reports and statistics can be found on the Netball Australia website which can
be found at www.netball.asn.au.
By
Sarah Watson Wood
pursues German powerhouse (Oct 6)
 Australian
cyclist Oenone Wood claimed bronze in a tight sprint finish at the 2005 World
Championships held in Madrid recently. The plucky Australian finished behind second
placed Nicole Cooke of Great Britain and winner and new world champion Regina
Schleicher of Germany.
Held on an undulating course highlighted by a tight
switchback corner 400m from the finish, Wood was part of the inevitable
bunch sprint that was to decide the mens result the following day.
A warm
but hazy Spanish morning greeted competitors at the startline in what was to be
a tight run contest, with almost half the main bunch finishing in the winning
group.
Germany looked to retain the title after Judith Arndt's win in the
Italian city of Verona last year.
Strong challenges were expected from the
classy Italians, the emerging team from Great Britain and the Australian's, led
by World Cup winner Wood were always in the hunt.
The main teams in
the bunch controlled the race, and apart from a heavy fall involving Great Britain's
Emma Pooley, only the late push by America's Amber Neben worried the bunch.
With Neben reeled in, it came down to a bunch sprint and with Germany controlling
the train it was a matter of picking which team member would win.
Schleicher
proved too strong in the finish, powering away for a convincing win.
Wood's
bronze meant Australia finished atop the medal table with one medal of each colour
following Michael Rodgers win in the Elite men's time-trial and William Walker's
silver in the U23 men's race.
By Peter Trevaskis
Hockeyroos
triumph after shaky start (Oct 6)
After a slow start to the 7th Indira Gandhi International Gold Cup in New Delhi,
the Hockeyroos dominated against Italy in game three.
The Hockeyroos had
an impress lead up to the Cup, but in the first round they struggled to find form.
Game one saw a 0-0 draw against New Zealand, although Australia dominated the
shots on goal they were unable to convert in the 37 degree heat.
In game
two they came out firing against Malaysia with the first goal scored by Nikki
Hudson in the first two minutes. They ended the fist half with a late goal that
gave them a 2-0 lead into the final half.
The second half of the match would
have caused concern for coach Frank Murray as we saw a return of the form they
produced against New Zealand in game one.
Malaysia brilliantly defended their
goal throughout the second half, as the Hockeyroos were unable to capitalise on
their 58 circle penetrations to Malaysia's 16, 25 goal shots to 3 and 15 penalty
corners to 1.
Malaysia was able to score in the 69th minute to end the game
with a 2-1 win to Australia.
It was in game three that the Hockeyroos begun
to show signs of improvement with a 4-1 win over Italy. After numerous shots on
goal they were able to convert 4 goals, but much to coach Murray's frustration,
still lacked deficiency up forward.
"It was a better performance today but
we are still not managing to convert our opportunities," he said. "Offensively,
our structure improved but we failed to convert a penalty stroke, again."
The Hockeyroos once again struggled with the second half only scoring one
goal in the 37 th minute after three in the first half. Italy managed their only
goal in the 66 th minute.
The Hockeyroos will meet India on Friday 7 th ,
where a win or a draw will see them through to the final, which will be played
against India after they secured their place with a 2-1 win against New Zealand
on Wednesday.
By Taryn Preston
Hockey Australia homepage
Hockey Australia photo
gallery
Swimming
Champion's condition 'improving' (Oct 6)
World and Olympic
swimming champion, Poland' Otylia Jedrzejczak has been shifted from a hospital
in Plock to one in Warsaw and her condition upgrade from 'critical' to 'stable'
as she recovers from severe head and spine injuries sustained in a car accident
in which her 19 year old brother was killed. The chief surgeon at the Plock hospital
reported that "She is in good condition, is now being moved to a hospital in Warsaw
and should recover after three or four months of physiotherapy."
Dr Robert
Smigielski, Poland's national swimming squad physician, told the media that "Otylia
suffered only minor spinal injuries that do not require surgery and a head wound
that has been stitched up," while her personal physician Dr Miroslaw Zabek
added "We've seen a clear improvement in her condition."
While her physical
condition improves, Jedrzejczak is said to be suffering severe shock as the severity
of the accident begins to sink in, blaming herself for her brother's death.
Jedrzejczak and her brother Szymon, also a swimmer, were traveling to their parent's
place to celebrate Szymon's 19th birthday when the car, with Otylia behind the
wheel, veered off the road and into a tree. Witnesses reported that the car was
attempting to overtake a string of cars but was forced off the road to avoid a
collision with an oncoming vehicle. Szymon was killed instantly. It was also reported
that the car was travelling at faster than the 100 kilometer speed limit and that
Otylia could possibly face charges of negligent homicide.
She is expected
to recover enough to resume her stellar career with coach Pawel Slominski saying
"I can't imagine that Otylia wouldn't make a comeback. For me and for all of us
the most important thing is that she returns to good mental and physical health."
Jedrzejczak is regarded as a sporting icon in Poland. She won the
gold in the 200m butterfly at the Athens Olympics and the silver in the 100m butterfly
and 400m freestyle. Just recently, at the July World Championships she broke her
own world record in retaining the 200m butterfly title.
She has been nominated
for Polish sportswomen of the year and is widely known for her charitable activities,
donating her Olympic gold medal to a children's cancer ward in Southern Poland.
By Sally Browne
FINA
Newtown
holds on to title (Oct 6)
 The
Newtown Breakaways have defended their Sydney Women's Australian Football League
(SWAFL) premiership title after winning the flag for the fourth consecutive year.
Being
undefeated throughout the entire season, the Breakaways 10-12-72 defeated the
Wests
4-1-25 in the grand final which took place on Saturday, September 3.
Formed in late 2001, the Newtown Breakaways debuted in the 2002 SWAFL season
and went on to win the premiership title which they have held on to ever since.
They went into the 2005 Grand Final with 13 new players, 11 of whom had never
played football before. A source has said that the new players were indistinguishable
from the experienced players.
“What a game - what a team! (They) all played
extremely well together and played one of the best games of women's AFL in Sydney
I've ever seen.”
The team will commence training for next season in February/March
next year at Alexandria Park, Alexandria and will work towards defending their
premiership title once again.
All are welcome to attend the training sessions
and become involved with the club, further information can be found on the Newtown
Breakaway's homepage.
For those who do not live in Sydney, many women's AFL
leagues exist around the nation and people who are interested can find out more
about what is available to them from the Women's Football Australia website.
By
Danielle Tralli
SWAFL
Netball
champs, day 2 (Oct 6)
After two days of competition at the
National Netball Championships in Canberra, NSW, Victoria, and Western Australia
are yet to be defeated in the open division.
Defending champions NSW faced
their toughest test of the tournament so far, when they took on South Australia
last night but ran home winners with a 59 - 50 victory.
Earlier that day,
in its round three match, NSW easily accounted for hosts ACT 69-41.
Tournament
hopefuls Victoria also stamped its mark on the competition today.
The Vic's
comprehensively outplayed Tasmania to win 70-30 before upsetting Queensland 67-37.
Western Australia once again proved they will be difficult to beat in 2005,
by defeating Tasmania 78 - 43 and Queensland 67- 37
In other games, the Northern
Territory edged out the ACT in a thrilling encounter while South Australia defeated
Northern Territory 53 - 29.
In tomorrow's games, Tasmania take on Queensland,
ACT go up against South Australia, the Northern Territory play NSW and Victoria
defend themselves against Western Australia.
By Lauren Hilbert
Netball Association
$10
million dream finally comes true for Wie (Oct 6)
Fifteen-year-old golfing sensation Michelle Wie has fulfilled a lifelong dream
by announcing that she is turning professional. There was much hype surrounding
the announcement as it was expected that Wie would wait until her 16th birthday.
However. She surprised all, deciding that after playing against some of the world's
best golfers, it was finally time to take the next step.
"The first time
I grabbed a golf club, I knew that I'd do it for the rest of my life," Wie said.
"Some 12 years later, I'm finally turning pro, and I'm so excited." Wie
has signed lucrative deals with Nike and Sony, said to be worth an astonishing
$10 million. Wie continued to amaze as she pledged $500,000 of her new found wealth
to the US Golf Hurricane Relief Fund, established by the major golf organizations.
Wie has performed well in the LPGA Championships, making the cut in the last
16 events. However, Wie is expected to join the LPGA Tour when she turns 18, as
she can only play eight LPGA events in each of the next two years.
World
beater Tiger Woods, who began his professional career at the tender age of 20,
was full of praise for the talented youngster. "Michelle obviously has
some talent," Woods said. "When I was 16, I wasn't even thinking about turning
pro. I was just hoping to get into college somewhere. She has talent, and has
been good enough to take a giant step like that."
All eyes will be on Wie
next week as she makes her professional debut on the LPGA Tour at the Samsung
World Championship, followed by the Casio World Open in November.
By Stephen Ritchie (For
more news on Wie -- click here) Soccer
on big stage (Oct 6)
Australian
women's soccer will not get its revamped league until next year, but the one-off
Women's National Football Championship is about to get into full swing with the
playoffs taking place this weekend. The WNFC is the temporary replacement of the
Women's National Soccer League, which, like the NSL, was abandoned following a
review conducted by the Football Federation of Australia in April 2005. The FFA
recommended that an extensive feasibility study be undertaken with the goal of
forming a new league for the 2006 season.
In the meantime the WNFC was set-up
as a nine-day round robin tournament with the eight participating teams split
into two groups and the top two from each group advancing into the playoffs.
NSW was the dominant state in the round robin stage, with NSW Sapphire Blue and
NSW Sapphire White both winning all three of their matches, and Northern NSW Pride
making it through to the playoffs with one win, one draw and a loss.
NSW
Sapphire White will take on 2005 WNSL champions the Queensland Sting, and NSW
Sapphire Blue face Northern NSW Pride in the semi-finals to be played tomorrow,
Friday 7 th October.
The final will be played between the winners of these
two matches on Sunday 9 th October at Sydney's Aussie Stadium, in a curtain-raiser
to the A-League match between Sydney FC and Adelaide United.
By Sam Ryan
Australian Football Federation website
WNBL
round one wrap (Oct 3)
 The
WNBL season got underway over the weekend with Canberra, Townsville, Dandenong,
Adelaide, and Bulleen all tasting early victory.
Last-year‚s runners-up,
Sydney Uni, had a horror start to the season losing twice; on Friday night to
Bulleen, and again on Saturday night to Dandenong (72-64) in the Grand Final rematch.
Despite a slow start against Bulleen, Sydney Uni almost snatched the game
in a thriller, which they managed to force into overtime after trailing 86-80
with just 39 seconds left. They looked the goods after scoring the opening two
goals in overtime, but could not sustain their momentum and ended up losing 98-90.
Having
come straight from another successful year in the WNBA, Lauren Jackson got her
season off to a strong start, scoring 39 points and taking nine rebounds in Canberra
TransACT‚s 91-47 thrashing of the AIS.
The round one results were:
Bulleen
def Sydney Uni 98-90
Adelaide def Townsville 93-84
Dandenong def Sydney
Uni 72-64
Canberra def AIS 91-47
Townsville def Perth 100-57
By Sam
Ryan
Click here
for our full report & pics Netball
champs begin (Oct 2)
Australia's Under 21 and Open State and Territory
teams are heading to the ACT to battle for the honour of the Athlete's Foot National
Netball Championship which begins on October 3.
The competition will be fought
out over six demanding days at the ACT Netball Centre, with finals being held
on the final day. Over the last four years of the championship no one team has
dominated, with every year producing a new national champion.
Competition will
be fierce in both the under 21 and open division as the teams play to ultimately
be named as the best in Australia. This will be extremely evident in the under
21 division with teams not only competing for the championship but to be gain
selection in the National Squad for the Under 21 Australian team for the 2005/2006
season.
The coach of this squad, Michelle Wilkins, will be announcing the 22
players of the squad on October 8 after the competition has finished. This will
give players in all the teams the opportunity to prove throughout the six day
competition they have what the selectors are looking for in an Australian Netballer.
Further
information and regular updates from the competition will posted on the Netball
Australia website, which can be found at www.netball.asn.au.
By Sarah Watson Team
set for gymnastics champs (Oct 1)
Victoria's Monette Russo will
come into the World Gymnastic Championship as Australia's top placed female gymnast
after dominating selection trials.
Russo will lead the Australian gymnastic
team at the championships to be held at the Rod Laver Arena from the 21st to the
27th of November.
At just 17 years of age, the Melbourne high school student
is set to become the face of the championships.
Russo was the youngest member
of the entire Olympic team in Athens, where she was forced to withdraw with an
injury sustained after qualifying for the final of the all-round competition.
Russo
was also the youngest member of the team that won Australia first ever medal at
a world level at the last World Gymnastic Championships in Anaheim U.S.A in 2003.
Since
then she has progressed become a leader of the next generation of Australian female
gymnasts.
Monique Blount of Canberra and Olivia Vivian of Perth will make their
international debut at the championships.
Blount turned 16 a fortnight ago
and has here eyes set on a finals place after scoring the highest score at the
trials, a 9.533 on beam.
Blount has made good progress in 2005, highlighted
by her victory on floor at the Australian Titles in May.
Perth teenager Olivia
Vivian clinched a spot on the Australian team, scoring 9.216 on the uneven bars,
her final apparatus on the last night of the trials.
Karen Nguyen, who has
experience at an international level, will return to the national team.
Nguyen,
along with Russo, was a member of the team that created history in Athens by making
the team final where Australia was placed eighth.
Nguyen was thrust onto the
floor at Athens as a last minute replacement for the injured Danielle Kelly.
By
Jacqueline Scott Royal
a contender for 2008 Games (Oct 1)
24-year-old granddaughter of
the Queen, Zara Phillips, has established herself as a contender for selection
to represent England at the 2008 Beijing Olympics after claiming two gold medals
at the European eventing championships this month.
In her senior team debut,
Phillps' was third after dressage and cross-country but a clear show jumping round
secured her individual gold as the 2005 FEI European eventing champion and sealed
the sixth consecutive team title for Britain.
When asked if she could emulate
her mother's gold medal result at the 1971 European Championships in Burghley,
Phillips' said she would rather “go one better” - which is exactly what
she did by winning team gold on top of her individual title
“I never
ever thought I would finish this competition as a double gold medalist, it was
always a dream, but it is a fantastic feeling,” she said.
“It was
such a privilege and honour to be on such a wonderful team.”
Although
originally selected to ride individually at the championships, Phillips was called
into the four-person squad after team rival Pippa Funnell's horse Primmore's Pride
withdrew because of injury.
“Zara and (her horse) Toytown are in the team
on merit. Their results speak for themselves,” Olympic champion, Leslie Law,
told BBC Sport.
After missing out on a place in the last Olympic Games, Phillips'
outstanding performance has boosted her chances at selection in the eventing team
for the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and the London Olympics in 2012.
Phillips'
mother, Princess Anne, represented Britain at the Montreal Games in 1976 and her
father, Captain Mark Phillips, won team Gold in the equestrian event at the Munich
Olympics in 1972.
By Katrina Putker First
mid-east sports club for women opened (Oct 1)
What may be the middle-east's
first sports and cultural facility exclusively for women has been opened in Sana'a,
Yemen, to allow women to participate in a range of sports, previously unavailable
to them, in a socially acceptable way.
Funded by the Ministry of Youth and
Sport, the Bilqiis Cultural and Athletic Club for Women cost 300,000,000 Yemeni
rial (over AUD $2 million) to build, and includes an indoor hall, open-air sports
area, library, children's sports hall, and a gymnasium.
Yemen's vice president,
Abdo Rabu Mansur Haddi, and minister of youth and sport, Abdul-Rahman Al-Aqwa,
officially opened the facility on September 24 and promised the addition of a
conference room and swimming pool in the future.
Al-Aqwa said the club will
provide women with the opportunity to play sports such as judo, jumbaz and cheese
and hopefully increase the presence of Middle Eastern women at international sporting
events.
By excluding men from use of the facility, women are able to avoid
strict dress codes that otherwise restrict them from participating in sport in
a natural and comfortable way.
By Katrina Putker
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