Quick3: The Burras win, Poort and Elliott win, Layton steps up

The Burras win Sultan of Johor Cup, Malaysia

 

Olympian Blake Govers has starred for the Australian junior men’s hockey team, The Burras, in their 3-1 win against the Pakistan Under-21 Colts in the final of the Sultan of Johor Cup Under-21 Hockey Tournament in Johor Bahru, Malaysia.

 

The Aussies came out firing in the sixth edition of the event, wreaking havoc in the round-robin stage, highlighted by an 8-1 win over Pakistan and 9-1 thrashing of New Zealand.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BMdkmlDh0j1/?taken-by=blakegovers

 

However it was a much tighter affair in the final, Pakistan taking the lead in the seventh minute with the first penalty corner. Australia replied less than six minutes later through Gerrard Frazer, who produced a carbon copy of Pakistan’s opener.

 

Coming out firing in the second half, it was Govers who dealt the next two blows to Pakistan. The Aussie converted a penalty stroke in the 47^th minute, before crushing Pakistan’s hopes of victory with a penalty corner with just four minutes remaining.

 

The next assignment for The Burras will be the Junior World Cup to be played from December 8-18 in Lucknow, India.

 

Poort & Elliott recognised at Swimming Australia Gala Dinner

 

NSWIS open water swimming upstart and Paralympic queen of the pool Maddison Elliott have both emerged from the Swimming Australia Gala dinner as winners.

 

Australia’s best swimmers ditched the togs for the tuxedo’s and gala gowns and headed to the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre for the sport’s night of nights.

 

Poort captured the international spotlight at the Rio Olympics with a daring gold medal strategy in the men’s 10-kilometre open water swimming race. The Wollongong local accelerated to significant lead off the start, only to be caught in the final kilometre of racing by his more fancied rivals.

 

https://www.instagram.com/p/BJLyY0hD_bW/?taken-by=jpoort

 

Despite being absent on the night, Poort shared the ‘Open Water Swimmer of the Year’ award with Chelsea Gubecka.

 

Meanwhile Elliott departed the Rio Paralympics with three gold medals, two silvers and two world records and was subsequently named ‘Paralympic Athlete of the Year’.

 

Elliott will hope to continue her award-winning charge at the NSWIS Awards on November 17, where she has been shortlisted for ‘Regional Athlete of the Year’, ‘Junior Athlete of the Year’ and ‘Female Athlete of the Year.’

 

Layton to lead Australian Diamonds for Quad Series title defence

 

NSWIS netball defender Sharni Layton has been named to captain the Australian Diamonds for the 2017 Netball Quad Series to be held throughout January and February in South Africa and England.

 

Following the pregnancy of Laura Geitz and retirement of Clare McMeniman, Layton will lead the Aussies in the series against England, New Zealand and South Africa.

 

ICYMI we'll have a new leadership group for our #QuadSeries title defence, with new skipper @Sharni_Layton Details: https://t.co/Stlskem34C pic.twitter.com/kVFwxUM0H4

— Origin Australian Diamonds (@AussieDiamonds) November 4, 2016

 

Layton will be joined in the Diamonds leadership group by fellow NSWIS athletes and newly announced vice captains Caitlin Thwaites and Kim Ravaillion.

 

Veteran shooter Susan Pettitt (NSWIS) will also return to the Australian team for the first time since 2013, and will add to the 54 test caps earned since making her Australian debut in 2006.

 

Paige Hadley will also represent the NSWIS in the Australian team.

 

For full details of the squad for the 2017 Netball Quad Series and game fixtures, please CLICK HERE.