Women in Sport: Home-grown champions

WORLD records were broken, stars of the future emerged and athletes from central Victoria claimed a swag of titles and awards in a wide range of sports throughout 2010.From swimming to cycling, golf to the gallops, and tenpin bowling to track and field, local sportswomen have been starring on the state, national and international stage.Over the next three weeks, the Bendigo Advertiser looks back at some of the major home-grown highlights from what has been a wonderful year of women’s sport.JanuaryPaddlers Eliza Singleton, Maddie Batters and Rebecca Mann competed in the national slalom titles and Australian schools championships in kayaks and canoes.Kirrily Burnett won the women’s 400m at the Maryborough Highland Gathering, while Sophie Taylor won the under-18 100m at the Daylesford Gift.Cyclists Carly McCoombe, Peta Mullens and Leigh-Anne Dynon contested the road race at the Australian Open Road Cycling Championships near Ballarat.Eliza Long took out the under-16 singles and doubles titles at the Goulburn Valley junior tennis tournament.Neangar Park’s Tahlia Holmberg won the girls nett event at the annual Belvoir Park junior open golf tournament.Jenna Strauch won bronze in the 100m breaststroke and Rebecca Holmes won silver in the 100m butterfly and bronze in the 100m freestyle at the Victorian Country swimming titles.Ten female players from Bendigo Junior Braves squads were selected in Victorian Country representative teams that played in the Australian Country Cup, while five junior Braves girls took part in the Pacific Coast Slam event.Cyclists Imogen Jelbart and Toni Abbigsoni brought home a swag of medals from the Victorian junior track titles, earning them selection in the state team.The Kangaroo Flat women’s cricket team played in the Women’s Country Cup in Bendigo — its first tournament since the side was formed — and finished fourth.World champion Jaclyn Wilson-Thompson won the supergirls’ class at the BMX Track Attack series, finishing undefeated in 24 races.FebruaryThe Collicoat sisters won medals at the Australian Masters Waterski Tournament — Olivia took silver in her jump event and Anthea finished third in her slalom.At the St Albans Gift, 14-year-old Sophie Taylor won the women’s 120m and Kirrily Burnett took out the 400m. Burnett also won the 800m at the Keilor Gift.Basketballer Kristi Harrower scored a career-high 40 points during the Bendigo Bank Spirit’s win over Perth. It was a record score for a Spirit player in a WNBL match.Elmore harness racing trainer Jenny Johnson scored her first and only Moonee Valley win with Strident in the Country Clubs Championship Final — the last harness event run at the course.Loddon Mallee Lightning’s under-13 and under-17 girls’ soccer teams both came runner-up in Football Federation Victoria’s Champions League finals. The under 15 girls finished third.Young equestrienne Holly Lewis was the champion rider aged eight and under 12 at the Barastock Horse of the Year Show.Teenage lawn bowler Stephanie Priest played in the Australian Open qualifying event. She had earlier represented Victoria in a junior interstate tournament.Tenpin bowler Laura Kairn was first in women’s open singles, second in women’s all-events and third in mixed doubles at the state championships.Kangaroo Flat bowler Marie Rowe and teammate Cheryl Chase made it through to the second round of the Australian Open women’s pairs.Track-and-field star Tanya Higgs represented Victoria in the Australian multi-event championship, winning bronze in the under-17 heptathlon.Still Me won the Rosier Commercial Furniture Handicap over 1500m at Moonee Valley, giving trainer Sheila Arnold her first victory there a month after she scored her first city win.Judo exponent Shayann Stuart took out the ACT International Open event in the under 52kg division and was headed to Germany with the Australian Institute of Sport talent squad.Bendigo hosted the national vigoro titles, a women-only sport incorporating elements of cricket that is played mainly in Tasmania, Queensland and NSW.Bendigo star Camille Woodland earned the women’s most valuable player award at the Victoria Country water polo championships, where her team finished runners-up.MarchJaclyn Wilson-Thompson was named BMX Victoria Rider of the Year.Teenager Bonnie Pridham was judged the most valuable under-14 player at the Victoria Country junior water polo titles. She and younger sister Lily made the 14-and-under Victoria Country team, while older sister Molly, 16, was selected in the open-age and 17-and-under Victoria Country teams for the national country championships.At the World Indoor Masters track-and-field championships, Heather Carr broke a world record to win gold in the 60-64 years 3000m walk, then took out the 10km event.Sprinter Kathy Heagney picked up two silver and two bronze medals in 55-59 years races ranging from 60m to 800m.Rower Hannah Every-Hall won the lightweight singles and doubles sculls at the national championships.Bendigo Spirit guard Kristi Harrower was named in the WNBL All-Star Five for the second year in a row, then won the league’s most valuable player award.Sophie Taylor, Madeline Lawson, Carlie Whitford, Courtney Schultz, Amanda Heard, Ebony Whiley and Tanya Higgs represented Victoria at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships. Taylor won five gold medals and Lawson claimed a gold and two silvers.Eaglehawk’s female swimmers won the Allan Monaghan Shield for the highest girls’ aggregate at the Central Victorian Championships.At the Victoria Country All Junior swimming carnival, Eaglehawk’s Rochelle Vella collected a gold, silver and bronze, while Bendigo East’s Isabella Symons won bronze in the 10 years 50m butterfly.Laura Kairn earned selection in the Australian tenpin bowling team for the Asian Schools Championship.Imogen Jelbart won gold in the team and individual sprint and 500m time trial at the national track cycling titles; Toni Abbigsoni took silver in the 5km scratch race.Athlete Michelle Stevenson won two gold (400m and 800m) and one bronze (200m) at the Victorian Masters track-and-field event.Teenage strapper Molly Watts was named Racing Victoria’s part-time stable employee of the year for her work with trainer Rod Symons.Central Victorian medal winners at the state Little Athletics championships included Ellie Wilson, Sophie Taylor, Maddy Atherton, Madeline Lawson, Charlotte Edlin, Olivia Roney, Bridget McInnes and Rochelle Kennedy.Next week: April to July.