Australian sportswomen creating a splash in world sport as new wave of stars join sporting veterans
WOW. Literally. Meet the women on water set to make a huge splash on the world sporting stage this year.
WOW. Literally.
Meet the women on water set to make a huge splash on the world sporting stage this year.
Some will perform at the Olympics. Others in the surf. More on the waves.
Some you may know. And others you will see rise to the top of the heap in 2016.
But these waterwomen are all expected to be hogging the limelight in one form or another in 2016.
From still water swimming and rowing to the rough and tumble worlds of ironman and canoe slalom racing, Aussie women excel.
They come in all shapes and sizes and all ages, from teenagers to a mother-of-two.
And it appears there is an assembly line of young talent coming through to keep Australia’s trophy cabinet overflowing for years to come.
THE SUPERSTAR: Kim Brennan, nee Crow. One of the world’s best rowers who qualified for the 2016 Olympics by winning her second world single scull gold. A leader on and off the water who set London on fire by winning two Olympic medals in two different boats in London. She is now attempting to win a single gold in Rio — a feat few doubt she can achieve.
THE ROOKIE: Keely Andrew: She’s young and very, very gifted. How Andrews will fare during her first year on the world surf tour is anyone’s guess but we are tipping she will be making a major impact in the future. It’s going to be a year for learning for the young surfer who has impressed with her dedication and determination.
THE OLYMPIC HOPEFUL: Lisa Darmanin. She has caused hardly a ripple on the local scene but this young sailor is the real deal. She and cousin Jason Waterhouse won the Olympic test event in 2015 and a world silver medal. They are being tipped as the dark horses to capture a gold at the Rio Olympics later this year in the new mixed Nacra 17 racing.
THE CHAMPION: The question is will Stephanie Gilmore be the surfer to match the great Kelly Slater in winning 11 world titles? She’s certainly the closest with seven to her name already. After a season of injury, Gilmore is ready to fire again and anyone who knows her is confident she will soon return to her rightful place at the top of the world rankings. And don’t be surprised if she has a few new moves up her sleeve.
THE WOMAN OF IRON: Undoubtably one of Australia’s greatest, but least known, female performers, Mirinda Carfrae is on course for another stellar year. The diminutive but feisty iron triathlon star has something to prove after pulling out of the Hawaii ironman due to injuries sustained in a crash a week earlier. A three-time world champion over the gruelling ironman distance, Carfrae also owns the course record and the run course mark.
THE RECORD BREAKER: Adrienne Cahalan. This former skiffie, round the world sailor, mother of two, maritime lawyer and world class navigator has been breaking new ground for women in sailing for years. Already the most winning female in Sydney to Hobart history with five line honours victories, a couple of overall wins and a race record or two she will rewrite the history books this year as the first woman to compete in 25 Sydney to Hobarts — an event rated one of the world’s toughest ocean races.
THE DEBUTANT: She just 17 and in the world of surf lifesaving is seen as one of its brightest stars. Named the sport’s Youth Athlete of the Year, Lizzie Welborn is also making her debut on the Nutri-Grain ironman series. The Maroubra surf star is making quite an impression and is currently 10th overall in the series. Many are predicting big things for this teenager in the surf in the future.
THE VETERAN: Waterpolo captain Bronwyn Knox is one of the most experienced players in the game and ready to give her all to ensuring the Australian women’s water polo team win gold in Rio — her third Olympics. Things are looking pretty good in that department with the Aussies, led by Know, winning the Rio Test event recently. In doing so they became the first team to defeat the US since the London Olympics.
THE PARALYMPIC STAR: She’s a standout on the water not just for winning gold in London but because she is so new to the sport. Former Australian wheelchair basketball captain Liesl Tesch and her skipper Dan Fitzgibbons have become a formidable force since joining up just prior to London. Now they have a 2012 Paralympic sailing gold to their name and numerous world titles. The firm favourites to defend their gold at the Rio Paralympics.
THE WORLD STAR: Jess Fox. The Rio Olympics are Fox’s time to shine. As an 18-year-old she managed to turn her silver medal in the K1 at the London Olympics into a gold with the Australian public due to her vivacious personality. Now she has the chance to do it for real in Rio after an additional four years of setting records, winning World Cup and other major titles on the world scene, including a world title in the K1 Olympic event.
THE CONTENDER: Sally Fitzgibbons. Many are putting their money on 2016 being a breakthrough year for Fitzgibbons. The world No. 3 surfer threw out the instruction book late in 2015 and decided to completely overhaul the way she looked at surfing and the way she surfs. It appears to have worked with many tipping her to finally claim a long-awaited world title in 2016.
THE POOL STARS
Fingers crossed for our pool stars in Rio. Sisters Cate and Bronte Campbell are pushing each other to new heights in the 50m freestyle and 100m freestyle, Emily Seebohm is looking unbeatable and tipped to shine in the 100m and 200m backstroke and our women’s 4x100m freestyle relay have gold on their mind at the Olympic Games.
THE PADDLERS: London Olympian Jo Brigden-Jones, Alyce Burnett and Naomi Flood are the women expected to make a big splash in the world of kayaking this year. All three are top contenders for the 2016 Rio Olympics and with a bit of luck these women can also be in the medals in a variety of classes.
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