Words by Kylie Knight
Four athletes with ties to the Moreton Bay Region have been in action during day one of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games overnight.
Mango Hill swimmer Brenden Hall, who has been an international swimmer for more than half his 29 years, was unable to defend his title and finished fifth in the Men’s S9 100m backstroke final with a time of 1:05.90.
Fellow Aussie Timothy Hodge, also the Australian record holder in the event, won the gold with a time of 1:01.88. Teammate Harrison Vig finished fourth with a time of 1:05.40.
There were no heats ahead of the final at the Sandwell Aquatics Centre at 4.48am (AEST).
However Sam Short, a former Prince of Peace student at Everton Park, won silver in the men's 400m freestyle where Australia had a clean sweep of the medals.
The 18 year old who trains in Brisbane was second in his heat to Elijah Winnington and in the final clocked 3 minutes 45.07 seconds to his compatriot's 3:43.06. Mac Horton was third in 3:46.49.
It was a better result for netballer Stephanie Wood, whose team beat Barbados in their Pool A game 95-18 overnight. They will face Scotland tonight at 9pm (AEST).
Wood, who grew up in Brendale, started playing netball when she was six and was playing in division one with the Pine Rivers Netball Association when she was 12 years old.
She represented Queensland at under-17, under-19 and under-21 levels. In 2010, she captained the under-19 team to an Australian National Netball Championships title and was named Tournament MVP.
Since 2017, Wood has played for Sunshine Coast Lightning in Suncorp Super Netball. Together with Caitlin Bassett, she was one of the first players to join the new franchise.
Wood was a member of the Lighting teams that won the 2017 and 2018 Suncorp Super Netball titles. In 2018 she was named Lightning's Members' Player of the Year. She also shared the main MVP award with Karla Pretorius.
In the 3x3 wheelchair basketball, Woody Point resident Lachlin Dalton, who plays at Mt Gravatt, scored eight points as Australia beat Canada 13-11.
It was thrilling opening to Australia's competition in Pool B where they will next face Northern Ireland early on Monday morning AEST.
Other athletes in action this weekend
Swimming:
Taylor McKeown:
Women’s 200m breaststroke
Heat 2 7.46pm Saturday July 30
Kaylee McKeown:
Women’s 100m backstroke
Heat 4 8.27pm Saturday July 30
Wheelchair Basketball:
Lachlin Dalton
Australia in Pool B v Canada and N Ireland
Australia v Canada Saturday July 30 5.20am
Netball:
Stephanie Wood
Pool A – Australia v Scotland Saturday July 30 9pm
Sunday July 31
Swimming:
Kirralee Hayes:
Women’s S13 50m freestyle
Final 4.57am Sunday July 31
Kaylee McKeown:
Women’s 100m backstroke
Semi-final 1 5.22am or Semi 2 5.28am Sunday July 31
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