22 in 2022: The 22 female athletes primed for a big 2022 in SA sport
As we continue to celebrate International Women’s Day, here are 22 athletes who will be in for a big 2022 in SA sport. From soccer to canoe sprinting, netball to bouldering, their stars are rising.
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As we continue to celebrate International Women’s Day, here are 22 South Australian female athletes who could be in for a big year in 2022. The women have been listed alphabetically.
Lucy Austin, 20, netball
The 193cm shooter is returning for a second season as a train-on with the Adelaide Thunderbirds for the upcoming Super Netball championship. The Matrics product is the reigning Netball Premier League best and fairest player, and is rapidly chasing down an SSN debut.
Jessica Bates, 26, AFL
With Port Adelaide establishing an AFLW side this year, it’s players like Glenelg product Jessica Bates whose experience could prove important when it comes to the Power drafting its team. The midfielder is currently leading the entire SANFLW competition not only in tackles (50 from five games), but in disposals (109).
Jemma Barsby, 26, cricket
The ambidextrous bowler moved from her native Queensland to play for the SA Scorpions in the WNCL for the 2021 season and has flourished in the SACA program, last month named as acting-captain of the “Scorps” with both Megan Schutt and Tahlia McGrath in New Zealand for the ICC Women’s World Cup. She has also transferred from Perth Scorchers to the Adelaide Strikers in the WBBL, taking four wickets in her new colours.
Izzi Batt-Doyle, 25, athletics
Made her Olympic debut last year in Tokyo, where she ran 15:21:65 in the 5000m – a 20-second improvement on her time from 12 months earlier. In January she won bronze in the national track and field Zatopek: 10 meet in Melbourne. A Commonwealth Games birth later this year now looms large.
Izzy Borlase, 17, basketball
In January this year, the Adelaide Lightning announced they had added the teenage guard to their roster as a replacement player and she promptly made her WNBL debut. It comes after she was awarded a scholarship to Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence program in 2021, the year in which she was also a member of the FIBA under-19s World Cup squad, where she averaged 3.6 points, 2.1 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game.
Kayla Crowther, 23, jockey
At only 23, she’s already had 428 career wins at 16 per cent and is currently leading the South Australian Jockey’s Premiership. Over the past 12 months, she’s placed in 38 per cent of races. A super consistent jockey who holds her own.
Tippah Dwan, 21, netball
The 178cm shooter is a new addition to the Adelaide Thunderbirds line-up this year, after spending three seasons with the Queensland Firebirds. The T-Birds have been building towards finals for a number of season and are hopeful of a breakthrough year. Dwan has also been selected in the 2021-22 Diamonds Australian Development Squad.
Kiana Elliott, 24, weightlifting
Tokyo Olympian who recently produced a powerful performance at the 2022 Singapore Weightlifting International to record six out of six lifts and a new personal best of 220kg (100kg snatch and 120kg C&J). Normally a 64kg lifter, Kiana has moved up to the 71kg weight class to better her chances of 2022 Commonwealth Games selection. She now sits third on the overall Commonwealth rankings, putting her in a very good position for team selection.
Hannah Ewings, 17, AFL
The SANFLW’s 2020 Breakthrough Player of the Year, she spent much of last year on the sidelines with an ankle injury. But she’s primed for 2022 and in an excellent draft window considering she turns 18 in mid-March. She is among the top draft prospects heading into the next AFLW season, averaging 20.2 touches in five games for North Adelaide.
Charlotte Grant, 20, soccer
Having played for Adelaide United from 2018-2021, Grant now plays as a defender with FC Rosengard in the Damallsvenskan league, the highest division of women’s soccer in Sweden.
She made her Matildas debut against the Republic of Ireland in September last year (after being selected in the Tokyo Olympic squad but not playing a game). With the FIFA Women’s World Cup to be played on home soil in 2023, Grant will be looking to cement her place in the Matildas’ line-up.
Theodora Kasimidou, 18, bouldering
Has been selected for the 2022 South Australian Sports Institute’s Individual Athlete Program and having finished school last year, her plan for 2022 is to focus entirely on competition climbing, enter as many competitions as possible and help advance the sport in SA. Has been entering indoor climbing competitions from the age of 12 and is also a member of the Youth National Climbing Team.
Meg Lemon, 32, para-cyclist
The Tokyo Paralympics bronze medallist went on to win the Para-Cycling C4 Road Race at the 2022 Road National Championships. She continues to build after making the podium in every Union Cycliste Internatoinale event over the past four years.
Amber Pate, 26, cycling
A former triathlete who has transitioned to the track under the guidance of South Australian Sports Institute’s head cycling coach Brett Aitken. Is now part of AusCycling’s Podium Potential Academy, and has had a big start to 2022 with a silver medal in the elite women’s individual time trial at the Federation University Road National Champions, third overall in the Mitchelton Tour of Gippsland and was part of the Team BikeExchange-Jayco at the Santos Festival of Cycling.
Maeve Plouffe, 22, cycling
Made her Olympic debut in Tokyo last year. She recently smashed six seconds off her Australian Individual Pursuit record, clocking the third fastest time in history, with this year’s Commonwealth Games fast approaching.
Hattie Shand, 22, hockey
The highly-competitive defender is hopeful of an international debut after last month being selected in the 2022 Hockeyroos squad. Head coach Katrina Powell has made no secret that this 22-player squad is building toward the 2024 Paris Olympics.
Charli Smyth, 19, canoe sprint
Selected for Australia to compete at the Junior World Championships in 2019, she made her first senior A final in the K1 500 at the GP2 event and also represented Australia at the Asia Pacific event in 2018 and 2019.
Steph Talbot, 27, basketball
The reining WNBL Most Valuable Player and Adelaide Lightning captain, is now a key part of the Australian Opals’ line-up working towards the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup which will be staged in Sydney from September. Is in such fine form with the Lightning, is being talked about as winning back-to-back WNBL MVP honours.
Isabella Vincent, 16, para-swimming
In early 2020, the SASI athlete had her eyes firmly set on qualifying for the Paris 2024 Paralympics. But thanks to the delay of the Tokyo Games she became a two-time Paralympic medallist before her 16th birthday and she claimed a silver in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay and a bronze in the women’s 4x100m medley relay.
Caitlin Webber, 20, canoe sprint
Having been selected for Australia to compete at the Junior World Championships in 2019 (and having represented Australia at the Asia Pacific event in 2018 and 2019), she now has her sights set on being selected in the National under-23 team this year. The final selection races for that team will take place at the National Championships in April.
Amanda Jade-Wellington, 24, cricket
A stalwart in cricket, despite her relatively young age, Wellington has battled to return to the successful Australian Women’s Cricket Team after falling out of favour in 2018. She played her first international game on March 8 in the ICC Women’s World Cup and will be hoping for selection in the squad that will travel to Birmingham for the Commonwealth Games. Has also signed to play the 2022 iteration of the English quick-fire 100-ball tournament The Hundred with the Southern Brave.
Belinda White, 33, softball
A stalwart of the sport having represented Australia at national level since 2011. At 33, she made her long-awaited Olympic debut in Tokyo and this year she’s been granted a scholarship through the SA Sports Institute to continue her training. While softball is not a Commonwealth Games sport, the 2022 World Games tournament will be held in Alabama, US in July with Australia already qualified.
Madi Wilson, 27, swimming
The freestyler came home from the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games (held in 2021) with a gold medal in the 4x100m freestyle relay (as a heat swimmer) and a bronze medal in the 4x200m freestyle relay. The Marion Club product won a silver medal in the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the 50m backstroke and with the 2022 Birmingham Comm Games on the horizon, she’ll be looking for selection.
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