Rio Olympics 2016: Rider returns after 28-year break, debutants rule and sailors on fire
THERE are debutants galore in the Australian team — along with an old face returning after 28 years. The latest Olympic and Paralympic news in RACING TO RIO.
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WITH the 100 days to go mark now passed we take a look at how the Australian team is looking ahead to Rio and an athlete who is returning after a very long break.
While there are hundreds of athletes still to be named, there are already plenty of debutants heading to the Olympics — along with an old face making history.
We meet our first athletes selected for the Paralympics.
Our sailors are racing in nasty conditions in Europe but it was sunshine and success for some beach volleyballers.
And we have shooters and archers right on target for success.
All this and more in this week’s RACING TO RIO.
OLD FACE RETURNS
Talk about a long time between drinks.
Equestrian Scott Keach has set a new sporting mark even before stepping foot in Rio.
Show jumpers Keach and Edwina Tops-Alexander, along with their respective horses Caretina De Joter and Fedor, were confirmed Wednesday on the team heading to Rio.
It is the second time Keach, 51, has made the team but his first Games were actually 28 years ago in Seoul back in 1988.
This gap surpasses the Australian record for the longest time between competing at the Games which was previously held by sailors Karyn Davis-Gojnich and Nicky Bethwaite. who competed in 1988 and 2004.
Keach made his debut in the 1988 Eventing Team alongside Andrew Hoy, Barry Roycroft and David Green, finishing fifth in the Team and 23rd in Individual. But he decided to take a break from the sport in the 90s before returning again to qualify for Rio.
This time round he and Tops-Alexander are attempting to become Australia’s first show jumping medallists.
“Looking back it would have been ideal to have another two years of competition under my belt,’’ he said. “I was young and inexperienced for international competition. The end result was disappointing.”
Rio will be the third Olympics for Tops-Alexander who trains in The Netherlands with husband Jan Tops.
100 DAYS TO GO
Shiny and new. That’s the look of the 2016 Olympic team with 80 of the 126 athletes so far selected to make their debuts in Rio.
And while the team’s oldest member is Warren Potent at 54, it is relatively young with the average age under 25.
This could all chance though, with more than athletes still to be named for Rio
In London, Australia had 227 debutants in its team of 410 — 55 per cent of the team
And in two firsts for the team, Kitty Chiller will be the first Australian female Chef and women’s rugby players will be part of the team for the first time.
PUSH FOR OLYMPICS
Playing in their first event together, former indoor players Becchara Palmer and Phoebe Bell have won the Palembang Open beach volleyball event in Indonesia.
During the event the pair, making a late charge for Rio, beat fellow Australians, Mariafe Artacho del Solar and Nikki Laird.
“We’re pretty chuffed,” Palmer said.
“Our tournament was run game-by-game. We knew what we wanted to create, and it only took us a few games to start seeing it
“But once it clicked, it clicked.”
Australia is hoping to qualify a men’s and women’s team for Rio at June’s Asian Olympic beach qualifiers.
SAILORS PREPARE FOR THE WORST.
It’s been wet and wild in France but Australian sailors are handling awful conditions with aplomb.
On fact after the first day of racing at the fame Heyeres regatta in France four crew are in medal positions.
The famous Mistral wins whipped up 28 knots to make it one of the windiest starts to a regatta this year.
“Growing up in Australia we’re used to a little bit more breeze,” said Will Ryan, who with skipper Mat Belcher leads the 470 class.
“We’re happy with how we are sailing and that is the main thing.’’
Matt Wearne is second in the laser class in which Tim Burton lies fifth, Will and Sam Phillips are second in the 49er skiffs, Oliver Tweedel is third and Jake Lilley fifth in the Finn, Carrie Smith and Jamie Ryan are seventh 7th
PARALYMPIANS NAMED
While the Olympic team is taking shape, our first Paralympians have been confirmed for Rio.
A team of five table tennis players have been named and there are some very familiar faces in it.
Five-time Paralympic wheelchair tennis ace Daniela Di Toro will make her debut in table tennis in Rio.
“I never thought I’d make six Games in a row in two different sports, and this one as a genuine rookie but also as captain is special,” Di Toro said.
Joining her on the team is Melissa Tapper, who is also competing at the Olympics.
The pair will play alongside a trio of debutants in Samuel von Einem, Barak Mizrachi and Andrea McDonnell.
Australia has won seven medals at previous Paralympic Games — two gold, two silver and three bronze with our last medal in 1984.
SILVER FOR OUR OLDEST ATHLETE
He will be out oldest athlete in Rio but age isn’t proving a barrier for success for Warren Potent.
The shooter has claimed silver at the 2016 ISSF World Cup in Rio de Janeiro.
It was the second podium finish in less than two months for the 54-year old from Sydney.
POSTS EQUALS RECORD
Archer Alec Potts has equalled the Australian recurve record on the opening day of the Shanghai World Cup in China.
The 20-year-old finished on 685 points to match the Australian record held by Shanghai teammate and former World indoor champion, Ryan Track and finish the Shanghai qualifying round in third place overall.
Potts is bidding to be one of three archers shooting in Rio.
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