Podiums for winter athletes, Aussie shooters on target and a high flying pole vaulter headline this weekend in Olympic sport.
Bobsleigh, Aerials and Snowboard medals
Just over a year before the Olympic Winter Games in Beijing, Aussie winter athletes are delivering world-class performances.
“Bobsled” Bree Walker won World Series monobob gold in Innsbruck, Austria. The win was Walker’s seventh victory from 11 races in the monobob event which will make its Olympic debut at Beijing 2022.
“I’m over the moon to come back here and defend my win from earlier in the season in a much stronger field this time,” Walker said.
“I knew my process well here, so I just stuck to the plan and it paid off. I’m excited to compete in my second world championships in Altenberg [Feb 5 – 14], so will focus on working out my process there and executing it to the best of my ability.”
Aerials World Champion Laura Peel won her fourth World Cup medal of the season, claiming silver in Belarus.
Peel’s full-tuck-full jump in the final was edged out by winner American Megan Nick by just 0.84 points. Peel maintains the World Cup points lead ahead of the next event in Deer Valley USA.
Read more HERE
Scotty James won X-Games silver in Aspen, after a gripping competition with winner Yuto Totsuka of Japan. Scotty led the field after a blistering first run, however, Totsuka took the lead in the third of four runs.
.@scottyjames31 🇦🇺 ❌ Run 1
— X Games (@XGames) February 1, 2021
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Monster Energy Men’s Snowboard SuperPipe at #XGames Aspen 2021! pic.twitter.com/wsikp3z0Zh
Aussie shooters on target
Tokyo 2020 selected athletes Dan Repacholi and Sergei Evglevski won gold medals in the 10m Air Pistol and 25m Rapid Fire Pistol events respectively at the Brisbane International Shooting Centre Cup.
It took a last gasp comeback from four-time Olympian Repacholi to snatch victory from ACT’s Thomas Ashmore, while Evglevski posted a near-perfect 14/15 in the final three rounds to secure his victory.
Find out more HERE.
Athletics milestones
Charlie Hunter set a new national indoor record for the mile, running 3.54.54 in Arkansas.
As the Summer season rolled on in Australia, events across the country saw impressive results from Tokyo 2020 hopefuls. Pole vaulter Nina Kennedy won the women’s pole vault with a Tokyo 2020 qualifying result of 4.70m, the third time Kennedy has jumped a qualifying height since November 2020, with Kurtis Marschall winning the men’s event in 5.60m.
Tokyo 2020 selected race walker Jemima Montag was in blistering form, winning the 10 000m track walk in 42.35.0.
Find out more HERE
