Short and Sweet: Edwina Tops-Alexander, Caroline Buchanan ride to success, swimmers, surfers fly
RIDERS win, surfers fly, swimmers shine and there’s more faces in the Rio Olympic team. All this and more in this week’s SHORT AND SWEET.
- Barrett’s desire still burns bright
- Aggression key to Gilmore’s success
- Miracle man John Maclean a real legend
- Jess Fox: 2016 a year to be heard
AUSTRALIA’S riders have starred on the world stage this week.
Our swimmers have been doing the hard yards at selection trials.
There’s been success on the sand for beach volleyballers.
Emma Moffatt got hot and sweaty in triathlon trials.
And Australian netballers have produced some exceptional victories in the ANZ championships.
All this and more in Short and Sweet.
WHAT A LEADUP TO THE GAMES!
BMX star Caroline Buchanan has won the second round of the BMX Supercross World Cup event in England for the third year.
The Rio Olympic hopeful was third fastest in the time trial before stepping u to win the final in Manchester.
Buchanan took the lead in the dying seconds after a mistake from American rider Alise Post crash.
In a major confidence boost Buchanan has now won two World Cups on the trot and leads the series overall.
The third leg of the World Cup is in the Netherlands in May.
SUCCESS ON THE SAND
Beach volleyballers Nikki Laird and Mariafe Artacho del Solar have produced a top performance at the Pak Bara Open in Thailand.
The pair, runners up in the recent Asian Championships, ended the tournament undefeated after Kazakhstan’s Tatyana Mashkova and Irina Tsimbalova 21-16, 21-16 in the final.
The Australian men’s team of Chris McHugh and Isaac Kapa also won gold at the event with their defeat of Kazakhstan’s Alexey Sidorenko and Alexandr Dyachenko.
TWO-TIME OLYMPIAN TOPS LEADERBOARD
In front of a star-studded crown including Iggy Azalea and Sir Michael Caine, equestrian Edwina Tops-Alexander played a starring role in the opening event of the 2016 Longines Global Champions Tour Grand Prix of Miami Beach
On her 13 year old bay mare Lintea Tequila, the London Olympian outrode a top class field boasting eight of the world’s top 10 riders.
Off last in the ride-off, Tops-Alexander and Lintea Tequila jumped brilliantly to finish a second ahead of their nearest rivals.
“The first round I had a great feeling, everything went really smooth,” said Tops-Alexander.
“I was in a good position being last to go and I had the chance to watch everyone — that’s always an advantage — and I just went as fast as I could.
“I’m obviously really happy. It’s been a while since I’ve won a Global Tour Grand Prix. [Lintea Tequila] just felt amazing.”
Tops-Alexander now leads the 2016 LGCT rankings, as the Tour looks ahead to event two in Mexico City.
TALENT RISING TO THE TOP
Sounds like there is plenty of talent in the pool for Australia in years to come.
World 100m backstroke champion Emily Seebohm and world No. 2 Madison Wilson qualified for the Rio Olympics last week. But in their wake was a young schoolgirl who turned heads.
Minna Atherton had t rush for the pool after forgetting her nose clips but still managed to show she is a potential champion of the future.
SWIFT SUCCESS IN NETBALL
Big congrats to the NSW Swifts who proved the standout team of the second round of the ANZ championship.
The side notched their highest ever total in a league match with their 78-50 victory over the New Zealand Magic side.
Shooter Caitlin Thwaites was impressive under the goal with a staggering 39 from 41.
In round two the Firebirds also cruised to their 15th straight win to equal the team’s highest record winning streak set by the undefeated squad of 2011.
SURFERS FLY HIGH
It could be the quarter-final of the year.
A six-time would champion up against a rising star in an all-Australia clash
Stephanie Gilmore will take on Tyler Wright at the Drug Aware Margaret River Pro not a stoushes between a champion on the comeback and a champion on the rise.
Fellow Aussie Sally Fitzgibbons will meet Tatiana Weston-Webb in her clash with Laura Enever taking on world No. 1 Courtney Conlogue.
MOFFATT CREATES HISTORY
Beijing bronze medallist Emma Moffatt has unionised business in London.
Moffatt won’t be celebrating being the first Australian triathlete to make an Olympic team for long.
She will be back in full timing as she bids to wipe away the memory of crashing out at the London Olympics.
“I do still think about it,” she said.
BOUND FOR THE PARALYMPICS
Six athletes have also ensured their automatic nomination for selection by the Australian Paralympic Committee to compete at the Rio 2016 Paralympic Games. Congratulations to Angela Ballard (NSW), Carlee Beattie (Qld), Madison de Rozario (WA), Todd Hodgetts (Tas), Isis Holt (Vic) and Deon Kenzie (Tas).
WHAT YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED
CHANNEL Nine has added another top female journalist to their TV sports team.
Broken Hill born and bred Julie Snook will be working alongside Erin Molan and Yvonne Sampson.
The 28-year-old previously presented Nine’s 5am early edition news bulletin after beginning her career as a reporter on country newspapers. READ MORE
MORE rest will help former world champion Cate Campbell overcome a wrist complaint that has flared at the Rio Olympic swimming trials in Adelaide.
Unfortunately, that is also what caused it.
Sport has no shortage of freak injuries. READ MORE
THE NSW Swifts were the stars of the show in round two of the ANZ Championship.
The team again exploded out of the blocks for a record score against Magic.
The Melbourne Vixens managed to rebound from their first up loss but a terrible injury to a young player from the Adelaide Thunderbirds marred the match. Round two netball wrap. READ MORE
AUSTRALIA’S women’s team has won the Atlanta Sevens, defeating New Zealand 24-19 in Sunday’s final.
The victory was Australia’s third consecutive tournament win and confirmed their status as gold medal favourites for the Rio Olympics. READ MORE
HER six-year-old niece was running faster than her in the final run but one of the toughest races of her life has delivered Emma Moffatt a place in history as the first Australian triathlete to make three Olympics teams.
It has also secured Moffatt a seat on the plane to Rio beside boyfriend Daniel Bowker who earned his first selection on an Olympic team at kayaking trials last month.
THE days of struggling to find an adequate training venue for the state’s female cricketers will soon be a thing of the past with the announcement of an $11 million sporting hub to be built in southern Sydney.
In a week where the sport has already made massive strides following the increase in pay from $2.36 million to $4.23 million, this is another positive step for women’s cricket. READ, MORE
HEATHER Garriock has vowed to continue to fight for change despite the dismissal of her claim of discrimination against Football Federation Australia.
The former Matildas star was seeking reimbursement from FFA for the costs of a carer for her daughter Kaizen while on tour, but her claim has been thrown out by the NSW Civil and Administrative Tribunal. MORE HERE
‘Stoic’ Lions star set for finals ‘impact’
A Brisbane Lions AFLW star that was a victim of crowd abuse is set to bounce back in style during the finals series.
Caslick Cup queens: 30+ Rugby 7s players to watch this season
Round 1 of the Charlotte Caslick Cup kicks off at Bond University this Saturday, with Queensland’s best Rugby 7s talent set to descend on the Gold Coast. Here is 30+ players to watch with each team’s excitement machines named. FULL LIST