This weekend in Aussie sport, Linden Hall broke the 1500m record at Box Hill, while Ash Barty retained her Miami Open crown, hanging on to her World No.1 ranking. The women's 470 Sailing team was announced, while the Rossiter siblings claimed shooting gold and the Matildas announced their first international squad in over a year.
Athletics – Hall Makes History at Box Hill
Linden Hall set a blistering new Australian record, becoming the first Australian woman to run under four minutes in the 1500m, clocking 3.59.67 at the Box Hill Track Classic.
The run, which is under the Tokyo 2020 qualifying standard, saw Rio Olympian Hall reclaim the Australian record she held from 2018 until 2020 from Jessica Hull.
The run also came just a week after setting a personal best in the 800m, running a 1.59.22.
Tennis – Barty defends Miami crown
World No.1 Ash Barty has lifted her 10th WTA singles trophy after the successful defence of her Miami Open title.
The Australian defeated Bianca Andreescu 6-3 4-0 after the Canadian withdrew from the final with a right ankle injury.
Marking the first time that she has defended a title, Barty is only the sixth woman to defend the prestigious Miami Open crown.
"To be able to lift the trophy again here in Miami was really special, my first time defending a title."@ashbarty spoke on her @MiamiOpen win 🏆@SAPSports | #MyPerformance pic.twitter.com/Unlr4R2jS4
— wta (@WTA) April 5, 2021
Sailing – Women’s 470 team for Tokyo named
Sailors Nia Jerwood and Monique de Vries were selected to the Australian Olympic Team for Tokyo, the first athletes selected to the Team in 2021.
The Perth-based duo, who were awarded Australian Sailing’s 2019 Female Sailor of the Year Award, will make their Olympic debut competing in the women’s 470 class.
23-year-old Jerwood and 25-year-old De Vries and had a breakout 2019, including winning World Cup Series silver in Enoshima the very harbour hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic sailing regatta and earning a Tokyo 2020 quota for Australia with a top 10 finish at the World Championships.
Shooting – Rossiter siblings celebrate gold medal-winning double
South Australians Tori and Jack Rossiter made it a family winning double when they won their respective women’s and men’s 10m Air Rifle finals on day two of the Target Rifle Australia National Championships at the Shepparton Small Bore and Air Rifle Club.
South Australia’s Katarina Kowplos held a 0.5 point lead going into the final two targets, but Tori Rossiter managed 20.9 points compared to Kowplos’ 19.9 points to leap-frog to the gold medal victory.
Jack Rossiter captured his second gold medal of the Championship when he was too consistent in the men’s 10m Air Rifle final.
A day after winning the 50m Rifle Three Positions gold medal, Jack Rossiter (250.2 points), overcame a strong performance from Victoria’s Michael Davis (249.7 points) and Queensland’s Dane Sampson (228.2 points).
Football – Matildas name squad for April internationals
New head coach Tony Gustavsson has named his first Matildas squad, with the team facing off against two of world football’s heavyweights in reigning Olympic champions Germany and FIFA Women’s World Cup 2019 finalists, the Netherlands, in the Matildas’ first matches since March 2020.
The 23-player squad features a mix of well-established stars, together with a host of new faces, including 13 players from the squad that helped Australia qualify for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
