Marby Hockey kids perform well at National Championships

Year 9 Maribyrnong Sports Academy students Juliette Sheriff, Enya Talbot, Alannah Hibbard, and Year 10 athlete Jade Robertson have recently been part of a successful Victoria U16 Girls Hockey team at the National Championships defeating Tasmania in the bronze medal game to finish third.

The girls were selected for the squad back in June of this year and after 2 nights training per week for 2 months they competed in the championships at Southport playing on the same hockey field that was recently used for the Commonwealth Games.

While Juliette and Jade had a great tournament, it was Enya who was selected for the Australian national team which will compete in the World Championships in Germany during May of 2019.

“I’m honoured to have been selected for Australia from the recent National Tournament.” said Enya. “To make an Australian team is every hockey’s players dream and a great opportunity to shine on the international stage.”

For Juliette and Jade just being a part of the Nationals is something that they look forward too, having been involved in the last 6 and 5 years respectively.

“The conditions were really tough during the tournament with the temperature reaching 25 -27 most days, also the humidity was really zapping on your energy.” said Juliette.  

Jade says losing to NSW and Queensland in the pool games made life tough for the Victorians heading into medal qualification.  “ We only lost 1-0 in both those games , and had we of beaten NSW in the pool games we would have advanced to the final against Queensland.

Meanwhile two of our male student athletes Cooper Burns and Kean Weerasekera played in the Victorian U16 boys team also winning bronze in their championship. Cooper also selected in the Australian Male U16 team. “ I’m really happy to be a part of the Australian Squad. When they called out the Victorian players, they read them in alphabetical order and because my name starts with 'B' I was called really early. Hearing my name called out gave me goose bumps and I felt so proud to walk up to collect my plaque.”

Cooper's tour will finish in Germany at the World Champs, but will also take in other European cities.  “ We travel to Germany, France, The Netherlands and Belgium as part of the tour for training and games.”  

All players are now preparing with their respective local clubs for finals which will be played in the upcoming weeks.  We wish them all the best.

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Marby's latest world champion - Luke Plapp

Maribyrnong Sports Academy athlete Luke Plapp has hit a golden streak at the 2018 UCI Junior Track World Championships in Aigle, Switzerland, with two world titles and a bronze medal to his name.

Plapp deferred his VCE studies for 2018 to allow him to focus on the World Championships claiming a gold medal in the points race and also taking the gold with teammate Blake Quick in the Madison. His bronze medal came in the Men’s Team Pursuit. 

Australia as a team claimed three world titles, nine medals and a handful of world and Australian records at the event.

Luke revelled the next day to Cycling Australia's website that he celebrated his maiden World title by sleeping in his rainbow jersey. 

“I was so sweaty, and it was so tight and hard to put on the jersey. But I didn’t take it off for the next 12 hours and slept in it. I honestly could not stop smiling the whole day and night. Also, to receive all the support from back home was something else!”

Plapp dedicated the win to teammate James Moriarty who broke a collarbone in a training crash two days out from the start of competition.  “I would like to dedicate this race to James, this was meant to be his race,” explained Plapp. “I raced it on his behalf, and I’m sure he would have been in the same position as I would was in the race. It meant a lot to be able to win it for him, and I’m sure next year he will do it!

With Blake Quick, the pair won the Madison 47 points ahead of Russia and Denmark after figuring in all but two of the fourteen sprint decisions.

“The Madison has been my goal for so long,” revealed Plapp. “And to achieve it with such a fantastic mate was so special and once again having one of the previous best Madison riders in Matt Gilmore guiding us was unreal.

“You’d probably be able to tell after the 100 hugs and the celebrations after the race, that this one is going to take a while to sink in.

“I want to thank Matty Gilmore and Shane (Kelly) for coaching us over the last few months and Bernie for being an amazing team manager.  Also to the Brunswick Cycling Club and Cam McFarlane for all his support and guidance and for just keeping me enjoying my cycling. And of course mum and dad.”

Quote’s with thanks to australiancyclingteam.com

Photo © klementdesign – UCI