Boxing
The Women’s Boxing World Championships in India recently concluded with the team achieving an outstanding collective result. Caitlin Parker secured herself a silver medal, showing she has what it takes to succeed at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.
"I am so proud of myself," Parker took to her social media account.
"Although it was declared a split decision in the final, I knew I gave it my all and I know that I made a big statement here."
"I earnt two wins over two previous World Championships, including a tough opponent who beat me at the last Olympics. I will keep improving ever day and I'll be back even stronger next time."
Judo
On her road to Paris 2024, Katharina Haecker has won back-to-back international bronze medals. Her bronze at the Tbilisi Grand Slam, which was followed up by more recently her bronze at the Antalya Grand Slam are a testament to the hard work she has been putting in.
"It's all about consistency," she said.
Haecker currently sits inside the WR Top 10 with fellow VIS scholarship holder Aoife Coughlan in their respective weight categories.
“The success we have seen requires a special form of commitment, will and resilience that is really rare to find. Winning those big medals are an amazing reward for all the hard work we put in – and I can’t imagine anything better than standing on the podium in Paris with a medal around my neck." Haecker said.
Athletics
The 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships concluded in Brisbane, as the household names of today and stars of tomorrow confirmed that an athletics resurgence is underway down under.
Reece Langdon (Tim O’Shaughnessy) headlined the event, racing to a new T38 para world record over 5000m. Langdon obliterated the previous mark of 15:00.42 by Canada’s Nate Riech, rewriting history with his 14:47.56 performance in the 5000m B race.
“It’s definitely a psychological thing for me, taking a world record off someone leading into a major championships. Even if it’s not on the program, it’s still a big thing for me,” Langdon said.
Australian record holder Catriona Bisset (Ned Brophy-Williams) was as dominant as ever when torching her way to a new meet record of 1:58.32 over 800m, racing with confidence from gun to tape to defeat Ellie Sanford (Terri Cater) who set a new personal best of 2:00.50.
Posting yet another 2023 World Athletics Championships qualifier, Bisset was pleased with the performance:
“When I was standing on the start line, I had more excitement and energy than I used to, and then going down the back street, I went into another gear. I thought, let’s really pump this on the home straight and I really think I just made the extra second on the home straight than other races,” Bisset said.
Leaping to Australian title number five, Brooke Buschkuehl (Russell Stratton) capped off her domestic campaign with a 6.68m (-1.5) performance to win by a margin of 23cm in the Women’s Long Jump. With swirling winds proving challenging for the field, Buschkuehl handled the conditions best as the 2022 world leader demonstrated her class in Brisbane.
Read MORE | Athletics Australia
Netball
The Melbourne Vixens have claimed back-to-back victories, defeating GIANTS Netball 62-57 at John Cain Arena on Wurundjeri Country.
In a battle as fierce as the last time they met, the Melbourne Vixens have replicated their preliminary final victory, defeating the GIANTS in a tight finish.
Head coach Simone McKinnis was pleased with her side’s performance.
“I thought the girls showed great composure at the end because it was a tough one to get through.” she said.
“I think everybody worked hard… in particular the midcourt in that crunch time worked the ball and were really smart with the ball.”
Shooting
Women’s Trap World number one Penny Smith has won the bronze medal at the Larnaca, Cyprus ISSF Shotgun World Cup overnight.
Smith finished as second top qualifier in the Women’s Trap event after shooting a score of 115 out of 125 targets in some tough conditions that seemed to worsen as she progressed through to the finals.
“It was a challenge the last couple of days and the weather has been quite cold… …the suns in, the suns out, windy and it looked like we were going to get a bit of rain…a challenging range to say the least.” Smith said.
