Moreton Bay's medal haul equals a Commonwealth nation

Seventh heaven! That’s our hypothetical Commonwealth Games dreamland for residents in Moreton Bay Region this morning.

If Moreton Bay was recognised by the Commonwealth as an independent nation (forget Region or the proposed City status!), we would be seventh on the Games ladder!

After day six of competition in Birmingham, athletes with links to our region had won 12 medals – one tenth of Australia’s table-topping 123.

As an 'independent nation' our tongue-in-cheek table shows Moreton Bay would be level with sixth-placed South Africa on six golds.

But, having fewer silvers (South Africa 7, Moreton Bay 2) and bronze (South Africa 7 Moreton Bay 4) still has us in a magnificent seventh!

That would leave Moreton Bay ahead of India, the second most populated country on this planet and the likes of Malaysia, Wales, Kenya, Nigeria and Pakistan!

And we’re not done yet ... there are three more gold-medal hopefuls still competing!

Joking aside, this does show again Moreton Bay (Region/City) is a top-class nursery and development centre for medal-winning international sportsmen and women.

Our winners so far:

Kaylee McKeown:

(Swimmer, born in Redcliffe, schooled in Caboolture, trained at Burpengary)

Gold – 100m and 200m backstroke, mixed 4x100 medley relay, women’s 4x100m medley relay. Silver – 200m individual medley. Bronze – 50m backstroke

Sam Short:

(Swimmer, former Albany Creek Swimming Club and ex-Prince of Peace Lutheran College, Everton Hills)

Gold – 1500m freestyle. Silver – 400m freestyle

Lachlin Dalton:

(Wheelchair basketball, lives Woody Point)

Gold – 3x3 men’s wheelchair basketball

Blake Cochrane:

(Swimmer, former Southern Cross Catholic College student and swimming club member, Redcliffe)

Bronze – Men’s SB8 100m breaststroke

Kirralee Hayes:

(Swimmer, founding member Genesis Aquatic, Bray Park, lives Deception Bay)

Bronze – Women’s S13 50m freestyle

Charisma Amoe-Tarrant:

(Weightlifter, lives Narangba)

Bronze – Women’s 87kg+ competition

Still going for gold:

Ella Connolly:

(Sprinter, lived Burpengary, trained at Deception Bay Little Athletics)

Women’s 200m, possibly 4x100m relay

Renee Taylor:

(Hockey, former Redcliffe junior player)

Women’s hockey finals

Steph Wood:

(Netball, former Brendale resident and junior at Pine Rivers Netball Association)

Women’s netball finals

Stunning fightback

Former Pine Rivers netball junior Steph Wood scored 19 goals from 22 attempts last night in Australia's much-anticipated showdown with Jamaica in the final round of Pool A matches at the Commonwealth Games.

Australia led 46-40 after three quarters, but Jamaica produced a stunning finale and shocked the Aussies winning the fourth quarter 17-9 - and the match 57-55.

Jamaica finish Pool A on top, with Australia second. The Aussies now face a semi-final against England tomorrow night at 11.30pm AEST. Jamaica face New Zealand in the first semi-final at 6pm. 

Crusing through

Ella Connolly, the former Deception Bay Little Athletics member, has cruised through the opening round of the 200m at the Commonwealth Games.

Connolly, who lived in Burpengary but is now on the Gold Coast, swept round the bend and was never in danger of missing qualification to the semi-finals.

The 22-year-old crossed the line in 23.56 seconds behind Christine Mboma, of Namibia, in 23.20 seconds.

Jacinta Beecher, who was at Bracken Ridge Little Athletics but is now with QUT, followed Connolly into the semis with third place in her heat.

Beecher, 24, eased down approaching the line to clock 23.13 seconds behind Beth Dobbin 23.10 and five-time Olympic champion Elaine Thompson-Herah 22.80.

The semi-finals will be from 5.15am AEST on Saturday morning.

Bowing out

Jess Turnbull, from Bald Hills, and her playing partner Alex Haydon bowed out of the women's squash doubles in the round of 16 this morning.

Turnbull and Haydon went down 2-0 (11-4 11-7) to England's Georgina Kennedy and Lucy Turmel in Birmingham.

Renee Taylor, the former Redcliffe junior, is preparing with her Australian team-mates for a Commonwealth Games hockey semi-final against India at 5.15am tomorrow AEST.

England face New Zealand in the first semi-final at 3am.