Gold, gold, gold in Glasgow

THE great Norman May shouted the cry ‘’Gold, gold gold… that’s gold for Australia”, when Neil Brookes touched first for Australia’s medley relay swim at the Moscow Olympics in 1980.
Now I am going to use the same sentence but add another two gold for the Sunshine Coast athletes competing in Glasgow this week.
Noosa’s sprint queen Brittany Elmslie has been simply magnificent, already bagging two relay gold and one bronze.
She was an afternoon team member for the 4 x100 freestyle but her effort in the 4 x 200 free stamped her future position as one of the greats of Australian swimming.
Her fellow London Gold medalist, Buderim’s Melanie Schlanger, oozed class as she joined the Campbell sisters in relay gold in world record time.
Melanie missed the 2010 Games through sickness and only with family support fought her way back to the top of the tree.
Mel isn’t frighten to having her say, and sometimes gets her in trouble.
I think Dawn Fraser would agree that, with Mel’s three Olympic gold and a Commonwealth Games gold and world record, she can say what she likes, as we know she can back it up.
Noosa Aquatic’s John Rogers will be up early to see how his charge Remy Fairweather goes in the 400 freestyle. The reigning world junior record holder has already pocketed a gold as afternoon swimmer for the 4 x 200 freestyle relay. She recorded a personal best, and her conversations with family back home have only been positive.
We are all hoping she duplicates Jenny Turrell’s gold medal performance at the 1974 Games in Christchurch, as a junior.
The London Gold Para Breastroke Champion Blake Cochrane had to settle for bronze in his Individual Medley but seeing it’s not his pet stroke, great work.
Swimmer Lakeisha Patterson lived up to her knick name ‘Lucky’’. Only brought into the team one week ago, she swam a 4 second personal best in her S8 Category.
Caloundra’s Tessa Wallace should be very proud of her swim, making the final after 12 months of sickness.
Australia Zoo Head vet Melanie Panayiotou will be all smiles after her top 10 finish in the marathon. Her time was fantastic and only sets her up for a challenge at the Rio Olympics in two years.
Mel only qualified for the Games after winning the Noosa half marathon in May. She will be back on the coast to run in the Coast Marathon in August.
Belli Park’s cyclist Shara Gillow will be in action soon, Matt and Alana Boyd begin their campaign over the weekend.
Coolum Lawn bowler Kelsey Cottrell rolls into triples finals action, while I am off to Centrebet to get the odds for the Hockeyroos, who play finals on Sunday.
Jodie Kenny has already slotted in nine goals and has really been the star.
I’ll also be happy to get some sleep after the early starts of the past two weeks.
I am now looking forward the next Noosa Tigers lunch on Saturday 9 August.
Richmond Star Tony Jewell will be the special guest, great function and congratulations to the club organisers who have put these days together.
Until next time.