Opals stars Stephanie Talbot, Bec Allen under injury clouds ahead of Paris Olympics
Just a day after the squad was named for the Olympics, the Opals have been hit with a pair of injuries that could unsettle their Paris preparations.
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Injury uncertainty already hangs over the Opals’ Paris Olympic preparations, with WNBA stars Steph Talbot and Bec Allen suffering setbacks just a day after the squad for the Games was announced.
In a potentially big blow for Australia, gun forward Talbot hurt her left foot while playing for the LA Sparks on Monday.
The injury occurred during the first quarter of the Sparks’ loss to the Phoenix Mercury and she didn’t return for the remainder of the game.
Fellow Opals star Allen, who plays for Phoenix, was ruled out pre-game with an ongoing back injury.
She was listed as questionable pre-game. Allen was in good spirits about her back injury when she talked to reporters post-game.
“It’s a work in progress right now,” Allen said.
“They (the staff) are looking after me and I’m getting all the right treatment, so I’m feeling good about it.”
Allen was named in a strong 12-player Opals squad for the Paris Games. The 31-year-old guard hailing from Wangaratta in regional Victoria is looking forward to competing in her second Olympics after featuring in Tokyo back in 2021.
“It means everything,” she said on being selected for the Paris Games.
“That is what you play for. Ever since you were a kid, you want to go to the Olympics.
“For me the last (Olympics) in Tokyo was the Covid one, so it wasn’t the same experience.
“I’m excited to have this moment again and have a second go at it. It will just be fun to be with my sisters.”
A large chunk of the Opals’ roster, including coach Sandy Brondello at the New York Liberty, will continue playing in the WNBA until days before the Paris Games start in late July.
The Opals face Nigeria, Canada and Germany in the pool rounds in Lille.
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Originally published as Opals stars Stephanie Talbot, Bec Allen under injury clouds ahead of Paris Olympics
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