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Spotlight on London - May Blog

 

Spotlight on London - May Blog

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AOC
Spotlight on London - May Blog

The April highlights reel could keep sports buffs entertained for hours. The past month delivered action-packed national championships in swimming, rowing, athletics and BMX cycling, dramatic hockey showdowns and the romance of sailing in Majorca and the Côte d'Azur. With a string of bright young things bursting onto the scene, it is little wonder London 2012 is set to be a sell-out show.

The April highlights reel could keep sports buffs entertained for hours. April delivered action-packed national championships in swimming, rowing, athletics and BMX cycling, dramatic hockey showdowns and the romance of sailing in Majorca and the Côte d'Azur. With a string of bright young things bursting onto the scene, it is little wonder London 2012 is set to be a sell-out show.

Basketball stars Patrick Mills and Liz Cambage won ABL Player of the Year awards before the ever-promising 19-year-old Cambage was drafted second in the US WNBA. Looking to London, Opals skipper Lauren Jackson sealed a deal that will allow her to focus on Australia’s Olympic gold medal bid. Also targeting 2012, pistol shooter Dina Aspandiyarova won an Olympic quota place for Australia in the 10m air pistol.

Gearing up for their own qualification process the “new look” hockeyroos performed valiantly against world number one Argentina in a friendly series, with one win, one draw and two losses. World Sailor of the Year Tom Slingsby showed his consistency, securing bronze and silver medals in ISAF world cup events.

In smoking athletics results Sally Pearson matched triple Olympian Pam Ryan’s 1963 record by winning three national crowns, Tamsyn Lewis picked up a phenomenal 17th national title, Mitchell Watt crept closer to the Australian long jump record and high school sensation Steve Solomon became the second youngest male to win the 400m at just 17.

James Magnussen, also 17, stole the show at swimming nationals by clocking the fastest time of the year in the men’s 100m freestyle. Beijing Olympian Kylie Palmer smashed the Australian 200m freestyle record with Bronte Barratt just 0.01 behind. Times like these prove how exceptional the Australian 4x200m relay team will be come 2012.

In a big boost to the medal hopes of the entire Australian Team, Rio Tinto announced its sponsorship as a partner of the Australian Olympic Team. Rio Tinto is also providing metals for the medals our athletes are eyeing.

Heading into May the Arafura Games in Darwin will host an array of sports in the perfect environment to prepare for Olympic selection. Water polo National League competition wraps up this month and then the World League preliminary rounds commence.

There are other local events in equestrian (Sydney, 6-8 May), football (Gosford, 12 & 15 May) and archery (Brisbane, 22-27 May).

The best road cyclists will weave the streets of Italy in the 2011 Giro D’Italia (7-29 May) and Roland Garros hosts the French Open from May 17th. The Kookaburras are competing in the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup in Malaysia (5-15 May), table tennis world individual championships will be held in Rotterdam (8-15 May) and the modern pentathlon Oceania Championships will take place in Chengdu, China (19-22 May).

Behind the scenes Olympic planning continues for the Australian Olympic Committee and the 2011 AOC Annual General Meeting will be held in Sydney on 14 May. More athletes will complete AOC Team Processing in May while LOCOG will begin to manage the 20 million tickets requested for the London Olympic Games to-date.

With show-stopping performances like those we have seen from Australian athletes this month, the grand finale in July-August 2012 is shaping up to be a blockbuster!

Taya Conomos
AOC

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