Short and Sweet: Cyclists, rugby league players star, Thunder signings and a Diamonds baby
THERE’S baby news, special Origin rings and wins for our cyclists and rugby league players. SHORT AND SWEET wrap of woman and sport.
Women's sport
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IT’S been a big weekend on the road for our riders and the field for rugby league players.
The Diamonds have made some changes, our baseballers miss the medals but Thunder get their women for the WBBL.
There’s also been mixed results for show jumper Edwina Tops-Alexander but baby news for a netballer.
All this and more in this week’s edition of SHORT AND SWEET.
JESS GALLAGHER WINS PLAY OF THE WEEKEND
TAKE A BOW LADIES
They say diamonds are a girl’s best friend but not in this case.
The NSW Origin team wouldn’t swap their new rings for the world.
The team received them at the Brad Fittler Medal after winning their first Origin match in 18 years.
It was a big night for members of the Blues team with Origin star Kezie Apps picking up the highest award in the state when named women’s Player of the Year.
In other news NSW Origin stars Ruan Sims, Allana Ferguson, Maddie Studdon and Sammy Bremner helped Cronulla-Caringbah Sharks claim the Sydney Metropolitan Womens Rugby League premiership in a golden point thriller.
A Mia Wood try in extra time to split the teams as Cronulla Carringbah bear the Greenacre Tigers.
HUSKING RIDES ONTO PODIUM
Australian Chloe Hoskings has finished behind Wiggle High 5 Pro Cycling teammate Jolien D’hoore in a stunning performance in the Madrid Challenge by La Vuelta.
The podium finish was a great end to the 2016 Women’s WorldTour for Hosking who has been in stunning form this year.
The 87km race on a flat 5.8km circuit as decided by a ferocious sprint after a numb of attacks early were thwarted.
BABY NEWS AND CHANGES
It’s been a big couple of days for the Diamonds with the news their captain Laura Geitz is out of play excepting her first child and changes to the team for the upcoming Constellation Cup.
Jo Weston and Gretel Tippett are back into the side at the expense of recent debutants Kristiana Manu’a and Stephanie Wood.
“Jo (Weston) and Gretel (Tippett) will provide different options for us,” coach Lisa Alexander said.
TOPS-ALEXANDER DROPS DOWN
Olympic equestrian Edwina Tops-Alexander has dropped down to second place behind rival Rolf-Göran Bengtsson on the Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix tour boards.
Tops-Alexander finished seventh in the latest event in Rome to fall from top spot.
Dutchman Harrie Smolders won the event contested by the top 30 riders in show jumping.
WELCOME RETURN
Commonwealth Games lifters Tegan Napper and Kylie Lindbeck made strong returns to competition from injury at the Australian weightlifting titles.
Napper and Lindbeck won the 58 and 75kg categories respectively while London Olympian Seen Lee won the 63kg division with a 192kg total — her personal best in years.
“It’s a really big total, the first time I’ve done above 190kg for three years, and a kilo off the total I did in Delhi in 2010,” Lee said.
World Championship lifter Kaitlyn Fassina won the 75+ division at her first major competition since the birth of her first child.
WANDERERS CONTINUE SIGNING SPREE
GREAT WIN FOR WIASAK
High 5 Dream Team rider Rebecca Wiasak won the Amy’s Otway Tour with back-to-back stage wins on the weekend
Wiasak beat Ruth Corset (Rush Women’s Team) and Jessica Pratt for the final sprint win and overall victory.
Lucy Kennedy won the mountain classification and the High 5 Dream Team beat home Holden Women’s Cycling to claim the teams classification.
EMERALDS MAKE AN IMPRESSION
Venezuela ended Australia’s bid for a medal at Women’s Baseball World Cup 2016, defeating the Emeralds 7-4.
Australia needed to defeat Venezuela by six runs or more to seal qualification in the bronze medal match.
The result saw Australia finish fifth at the event.
THUNDER STRIKE
Southern Stars pair Alex Blackwell and Rene Farrell have been secured for another year by the Sydney Thunder for the upcoming WBBL.
Australian vice-captain Blackwell and Farrell helped led Thunder to its first championship crown last season when they beat cross-city rivals, the Sydney Sixers, to win WBBL01.
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