Shooter Coral Kennerley (Llanrhystud) won Team GB's first medal at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney as she claimed silver in the women's 10m air pistol event, with Jess Liddon (Glasgow) finishing eighth.
The medals didn't stop there at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Shooting Centre as Michael Bamsey (Tamworth) also picked up a silver in the 50m rifle three positions, while Larissa Sykes (Haverhill) won bronze in the women's event.
Meanwhile, Ross Shears (Northampton) finished fifth in the 50m rifle three positions and Kristian Callaghan (Reading) was sixth in the 10m air pistol.
After receiving her medal Coral Kennerley said: “I am really delighted with the silver medal. I obviously wanted to win but the main aim was just to get into the final and shoot my best and that is what I did. It is good to perform well in a big competition and I am really happy about it. This is definitely the best result I have ever had as I have never won a medal in a competition as big as this. And it was pretty exciting to find out that I won the first medal for Team GB at this event, that was a good feeling.”
The Team GB golfers today made history when they teed off on day two at the AYOF Twin Creeks Golf Club. And it was a very successful reintroduction for the sport as Team GB players sit top of the men’s and women’s leader boards after the first round of this four round competition.
Play started at 7.30am and temperatures rose to mid 35 degrees by mid morning. A sizzling round of 64, marred only by a bogey on the last hole, put Team GB’s Ashton Turner (Alford) into top spot for the boys individual event at eight under par.
Ashton said: “I am really pleased with my performance, it was a great start to the tournament and there are plenty of shots left out there, so I can push on tomorrow. The heat out here is a big difference compared to home but you’ve just got to keep drinking water, keep putting the sun cream on and make sure we don’t get burnt. It is an honour to represent Team GB at golf for the first time in over 100 years. I think the sport definitely deserves its space on the Olympic programme and it’s great to be part of the team that has introduced it back in again.”
China are lying 2nd in the boys competition with a 67, followed closely by New Zealand on 68 and a host of players on 69, including Team GB’s Bradley Neil (Blairgowrie). Neil’s score also contributed to the Team Event, where together with a level par score of 72, posted by Ewan Scott (St. Andrews) and a 71 and 74 by the female players, Georgia Hall (Bournemouth) and Chloe Williams (Wrexham), gave GB a team total of 286 and tied first place with Australia after round one. New Zealand lie 8 shots behind on 294, followed closely by China on 296.
Team GB’s women also fared well and occupy the top two spots in the individual event with Georgia Hall and Gabriella Cowley (Harlow) both posting one under par with scores of 71. They will be looking to maintain their form tomorrow with players from China and Australia hot on their heels on level par 72.
Team GB’s 3x3 basketball players made their Youth Olympic debuts in Darling Harbour today and there were mixed fortunes for the men’s and women’s teams with the men securing a clean sweep of victories over Indonesia, China and Australia. Fourteen-year-old Dwayne Lautier-Ogunleye (London) thrilled the large and vociferous crowd with his top point scoring performances. The results leave Team GB in a strong position to qualify for the semi-finals from the eight team round robin format.
Meanwhile the Team GB women are still seeking their first victory of the competition after defeats by strong opposition in the shape of Australia ‘A’, Australia ‘B’ and New Zealand.
Team GB’s women’s hockey team are unlikely to make the final after suffering their second straight defeat at the hands of China. GB lost 2-1 in a very close encounter despite going a goal ahead through Lily Owsley’s (Bristol) first half strike. They face USA in their final pool match on Saturday.
The men’s hockey team played a full part in a ten goal thriller against Australia but ultimately went down 6-4. Team GB led 1-0, 3-2 and squared the game at 4-4 with 20 minutes remaining, but were eventually beaten by some outstanding attacking play from the hosts. Team GB’s goals were scored by captain Andy Bull (Bury), Ross Gilham-Jones (Hythe), Daniel Faulkner (Fareham) and Phillip Roper (Cheshire). GB will be aiming to beat the USA in their final pool match on Saturday in order to secure a rematch against Australia in Sunday’s final.
After yesterday’s fantastic 4-1 win over Australia Team GB’s badminton players came up against much stiffer opposition today as they were beaten 5-0 in the semi-final of the team event by world number one nation China, and GB suffered the same score against Chinese Taipei in the bronze medal match. The young players will have learned a great deal from playing against such high quality opposition and are looking forward to the individual events, which begin on Saturday.