Opals’ basketball star Katie Rae Ebzery going for gold at Rio Olympics
KATIE-Rae Ebzery is hoping for gold with the Opals in Rio after sweating out more than 200 games in WNBL.
The Express
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The Opals are shooting for gold in Rio and helping them get there is Earlwood’s Katie-Rae Ebzery.
After the Opals’ 89-71 win against France early this morning, they are definitely on their way to the podium.
Ebzery made the Australian women’s basketball team in July after clocking more than 200 games in WNBL.
While the 26-year-old guard grew up in Newcastle, she has been based in Earlwood while playing for the Sydney Uni Flames and studying a Bachelor of Education at the University of Sydney.
She is one of two Olympians from the Canterbury-Bankstown area, with Padstow-born Jessica Ashwood representing Australia in swimming.
As The Express was going to press, Ashwood finished in seventh place in the 400m freestyle and swims again on Friday in the 800m freestyle.
While Ashwood has competed in the 2012 London games, Rio is Ebzery’s first Olympic debut.
Ebzery represented Australia at the World University Games in 2011 and 2013, finishing with bronze medals at both events.
Last year she was part of the team that won the FIBA Oceania Championships, qualifying the Opals for the Olympics.
The Opals’ quest for gold is already on the right track after winning their first two matches.
In their opening match on Saturday night, Australia defeated Brazil 84-66 in front of a vocal local crowd.
In their second encounter, the Opals battled a hard-fought 61-56 win over Turkey.
The Opals’ next match is against France tomorrow (Tuesday.)
After the Olympics, Ebzery has announced she will move to Russia to play for Dynamo Moscow.
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