World Report
A look at what’s been happening in sport around the world.
BASKETBALL
WNBA
After the weekend’s games there are now no more undefeated teams in the WNBA.
New York Liberty were the last remaining side to have their winning streak end, as superstar Caitlin Clark returned after a couple of weeks out injured, and played probably her best game of the season. She hit an equal career high three pointers and nearly had a triple double (32pt/8reb/9ast) as Indiana piled on over 100 points to defeat Sandy Brondello’s Liberty.
There has been some good news across the weekend for the Aussies in the WNBA. Chloe Bibby has been recalled by Golden State Valkyries with several of their squad on international duties. Bibby was cut by Valkyries late in the training camp period, and now has a chance to show the league what she can offer. She’ll team up with fellow Aussie Steph Talbot at Golden State, who head into this week’s games on the back of a three game win streak and a 5-5 record.
Reigning WNBL MVP Sami Whitcomb claimed a piece of history on Monday morning with her 18pt performance in Phoenix Mercury’s win over Las Vegas. Sami scored four three pointers in the game after coming off the bench, equalling the all-time record for the most games with four or more triples by a bench player.
FOOTBALL
NWSL, US
Great news for Matildas fans with speedster Cortnee Vine scoring for North Carolina Courage on Sunday - her first goal of the season. Vine started for the second week in a row, and found the back of the net after just 41 seconds as Courage scored again in injury time to defeat Alanna Kennedy’s Angel City 2-1.
Still on the Aussies, Mackenzie Arnold was again out injured for Portland Thorns, but her Tillies teammate Kaitlyn Torpey started as the team from Oregon defeated Washington Spirit 2-0 to move up to fifth spot.
Kansas City Current maintain a five point lead at the top of the table after their 4-2 win over Racing Louisville.
Super League, US
The new US Super League decided its inaugural champions over the weekend, and there was an Australian flavour to the winners.
Hannah Keane, a member of Western United’s first two seasons, and owner of the record for the fastest goal in A-League history, was part of the Tampa Bay Suns who won the championship game on Sunday. Hannah (pictured below warming up for a game during her time with Western United) suffered a serious leg injury which ended her time in Ausytralia prematurely, and she missed over a year of football before finally making her comeback for Tampa Bay in April.
CRICKET
T20 Blast, UK
Australian star Grace Harris made an important all round contribution for Surrey on Sunday night, taking 3/26 with the ball before smashing 31 runs late in the run chase in a victory over Essex.
Amanda-Jade Wellington has played a handy role with the bat late in Somerset’s last couple of matches, on top of taking wickets, however her side are winless at the bottom of the table.
At the other end of the ladder is The Blaze - Australian Heather Graham has linked up with the side this past week as they sit equal top of the ladder.
ATHLETICS
Diamond League
A great night on Sunday for the Australian women in Stockholm, with Nicola Olyslagers (high jump) and Linden Hall (3000m) winning gold. Olyslagers jumped a season best 2.01m, outleaping Olympic and World Champion Yaroslava Mahuchikh. Fellow Aussie and Olympic bronze medalist Eleanor Patterson was tied for fourth.
Sarah Carli, who made her Diamond League debut a few days earlier in Oslo with a fifth placed finish, backed up for another 400m Hurdles in Stockholm, where Dutch superstar Femke Bol ran a meet record to win gold.
COLLEGE SPORT
Track and Field
The National college titles were run and won on the weekend, and a couple of Aussies found themselves on the podium. Paris Olympian Steph Ratcliffe won her second NCAA Hammer Throw title while representing University of Georgia for the final time, with another Australian, Lara Roberts (Texas State), securing bronze. Meanwhile Lianna Davidson, also from Georgia, placed fourth in Javelin.
Steph and Lianna’s school, the University of Georgia Bulldogs, claimed the overall NCAA team title.
Some future superstars put the world on notice with their performances, most noticeably Canadian Savannah Sutherland, who ran a national record and broke Olympic champion Sydney McLaughlin-Levrone’s college record time in the 400m Hurdles.
Doris Lemngole ran the fastest 3000m Steeplechase this year, breaking her own college NCAA record in a time of 8:58.15.
NETBALL
NSL, UK
The UK league heads towards finals now, and with the regular season at an end, it sees the career come to a close for a modern great of the sport. English Rose veteran Geva Mentor retired after Leeds Rhino’s final game, capping off a career that has included a Commonwealth Games gold medal, and consecutive Super Netball titles as captain of Sunshine Coast Lightning, before several seasons at Collingwood until their demise in 2023.