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Opals
Olympic History
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| 1976 |
Montreal |
Did
not qualify |
| 1980 |
Moscow |
Did
not qualify |
| 1984 |
Los
Angeles |
5th
Position |
| 1988 |
Seoul |
4th
Position |
| 1992 |
Barcelona |
Did
not qualify |
| 1996 |
Atlanta |
3rd
- Bronze medal |
| 2000 |
Sydney |
2nd
- Silver medal |
Women's
basketball was introduced
to the Olympic Games in 1976
at Montreal with a six
team competition.
Australia did not
participate.
Entry into the 1980
Moscow Olympics for all
Women teams, except the
host country who
automatically qualified,
was through a Pre-Olympic
Qualfication Tournament
held in Bulgaria.
Twenty two (22) countries
competed for the
remaining places (6 team
competition).
Australia was defeated by
the USA 68 to 57 and by
Hungary 76 to 62 in the
preliminary rounds and
therefore did not qualify
for the 1980 Olympic
Tournament.
In May 1984,
nineteen (19) countries
competed for the four (4)
available places in a
very tough Pre-Olympic
Qualification Tournament
held in Cuba.
Australia's overall
tournament record of 5
wins and 5 losses and 7th
position gave them a spot
in the 1984 Olympics.
|
Team
for Los Angeles:
Robyn Maher,
Bronwyn Marshall, Jenny
Cheesman (Capt), Patricia
Cockrem, Donna Quinn,
Patricia Mickan, Julie
Nykiel, kathy Foster,
Marina Moffa, Karen
Dalton, Wendy Laidlaw,
Sue Geh, Brendan Flynn
(Head Coach), Kay
McFarlane (Assistant
Coach), Lorraine Landon
(Manager), Eddie Crouch
(Referee). |
| Results: |
| China |
67 |
Australia |
| USA |
81 |
Australia |
| Canada |
56 |
Australia |
| Korea |
54 |
Australia |
| Australia |
62 |
Yugoslavia |
| Final
Standings: |
| 1. |
USA |
| 2. |
Korea |
| 3. |
China |
| 4. |
Canada |
| 5. |
Australia |
| 6. |
Yugoslavia |
| The
Pre-Olympic Qualifying
Tournament for Women in 1988
was held in Malaysia with
a record entry of 24
teams. Finishing in
6th position, gave
Australia the chance to
compete in the eight (8)
team Olympic competition
in Seoul. The
first game against host
country was a disaster
with the final scoreline
of Korea 91 - Australia
55 destroying all
Pre-Olympic predictions
of a medal choice.
However, to the credit of
the players and officials
Australia defeated
Bulgaria 63 - 57 in game
two with only the might
of the USSR standing
between them for a
semi-final berth or a
lesser position.
Against
the USSR the Australians
achieved the unachievable
by beating USSR 60 - 48
and to advance to the
semi-finals against
Yugoslavia. In a
heart breaking semi-final
Australia was to lose to
the Yugoslavs in the
final seconds, 57 - 56.
The USSR
losers to eventual
winners the USA in the
other semi-final were out
for revenge displaying
all class and outscored
the Australians 53 - 68
in the bronze medal
playoff.
|
| Team
for Seoul: |
| Robyn
Maher, Sandy Brondello,
Jeny Cheesman (Capt),
Michele Timms, Donna
Brown, Patricia Mickan,
Julie Nykiel, Debbie
Slimmon, Marina Moffa,
Karen Dalton, Shelley
Gorman, Maree White,
Robbie Cadee (Head
Coach), Ray Tomlinson
(Assistant Coach),
Michael Pattison
(Assistant Coach),
Lorraine Landon
(Manager), Geoff Weeks
(Referee) |
| Results: |
| Korea |
91 |
Australia
|
| Australia |
63 |
Bulgaria |
| Australia |
60 |
USSR |
| Yugoslavia |
57 |
Australia |
USSR
|
68
|
Australia
|
| Final
Standings: |
| 1. |
USA |
5. |
| 2. |
Yugoslavia |
6. |
| 3. |
USSR |
7. |
| 4. |
Australia |
8. |
| The
Pre-Olympic Qualifying
tournament in 1992
was in Vigo Spain.
Fifteen (15) teams
competed. Even with
a 4/2 win/loss record in
the preliminary rounds,
it was not enough to gain
them a place in the 1992
Barcelona Olympics. |
| |
| The
1996
Olympics was the first
time the women's
competition would have
twelve (12) teams
competing like the mens
competition.
Australia therefore, like
the men, had to qualify
by winning the Oceania
Zone Qualifiers.
Australia defeated New
Zealand, to take their
place at the 1996 Atlanta
Olympics. Atlanta
saw Australia achieve
their first Olympic
basketball medal, when
the Opals defeated the
Ukraine 66 - 56 in the
Bronze medal playoff.
|
| Team
for Atlanta: |
| Robyn
Maher (Capt), Allison
Cook, Sandy Brondello,
Michele Timms, Shelley
Sandie, Trish Fallon,
Michelle Chandler, Fiona
Robinson, Carla Boyd,
Jenny Whittle, Rachael
Sporn, Michelle Brogan,
Tom Maher (Head Coach),
Jenny Cheesman (Assistant
Coach), Carrie Graf
(Assistant Coach), Marian
Stewart (Manager), Robbie
Barnett (Referee),
Michael Butler (Referee) |
| Results: |
| Opals |
76 |
Korea |
| Opals |
91 |
Zaire |
| Opals |
75 |
Cuba |
| USA |
96 |
Opals |
| Ukraine |
54 |
Opals |
| Opals |
74 |
Russia |
| USA |
93 |
Opals |
| Opals |
66 |
Ukraine |
| Finals
Placings: |
| 1. |
USA |
7. |
| 2. |
Brazil |
8. |
| 3. |
Australia |
9. |
| 4. |
Ukraine |
10. |
| 5. |
Russia |
11. |
| 6. |
Cuba |
12. |
| In
2000
the Olympics will be in
Sydney. Australia
as host nation
automatically qualifies
for the Olympic
competition. |
| Team
for Sydney:
Michele Timms (Capt),
Rachael Sporn (VC), Carla
Boyd, Sandy Brondello,
Trish Fallon, Michelle
Griffiths, Kristi
Harrower, Jo Hill, Lauren
Jackson, Annie La Fleur,
Shelley Sandie, Jenny
Whittle, Tom Maher (Head
Coach), Jenny Cheesman
(AC), Carrie Graf (AC),
Marian Stewart (Manager),
Carolyn Broderick (Dr),
Jill Cook (Physio),
Carolyn Gillespie
(Referee) |
| Results: |
| Opals |
78 |
Canada |
| Opals |
81 |
Brazil |
| Opals |
70 |
Slovakia |
| Opals |
96 |
Senegal |
| Opals |
69 |
France |
| Opals |
76 |
Poland |
| Opals |
64 |
Brazil |
| USA |
76 |
Opals |
| Finals
Placings: |
| 1.
USA |
4.
Korea |
7.
Slovak Republic |
| 2.
Australia |
5.
France |
8.
Poland |
| 3.
Brazil |
6.
Russia |
9.
Cuba |
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