IN the final countown of our two part series
Michael Carayannis highlights the top seven sporting moments of 2011.
Last weeks list
15: Belinda Martin an Australian champion
14: Mark Gasnier announces retirement
13: Kelsey Feros junior world champion
12: Paul Gallen’s one man show
11: Ian Thorpe returns
10: Kurtis Patterson record breaking debut
9: Todd Carney signs with Sharks
8: Chris Sutton wins in Spain
7: Wayne Bennett leaves the Dragons
‘‘‘I believe I’ve been a part of what I came here for, I didn’t come here as a long-term coach, I came here to get a job done. I believe that has been done and I think it’s a good time for me to move on.’’ And with those words Wayne Bennett announced in March he would end his three-year association with the Dragons at the end of 2011. Bennett’s stint helped the club end its premiership drought and win back-to-back minor premierships. He came to do a job and on October 3 last year he felt the job was done. Bennett signed a four-year deal with Newcastle in April.
6: Kimberlee Green named Australian international netball player of the year
Green had a stellar year for the Australian Diamonds helping the team secure a nail-biting one-point world title win against New Zealand in July. The Sutherland Shire junior also starred for Australia in the series against New Zealand and England in October where she stepped in to centre following an injury to captain Natalie von Bertouch. She was named Australian international netballer of the year last month.
5: Trent Copeland takes Test wicket with second ball on debut
Trent Copeland became the 420th Australian to don the baggy green in Sri Lanka in August and the 12th player from the famous St George club. The right-arm fast-medium claimed a wicket with his second ball, the Sri Lankan skipper Tillakaratne Dilshan. ‘‘Once I noticed the ball had stuck [in Ricky Ponting’s hand] I went pretty nuts,’’ Copeland said. ‘‘There is no real way to explain how emotional you get. Mum was going absolutely mental. They had a box under our change rooms and I could see them when I turned around. Knowing I’d got a Test wicket made me feel like I belonged.’’
4: Kaarlee McCulloch wins the women’s team sprint at the UCI Track Cycling World Championships
The St George Cycling Club member joined fellow Australian Anna Meares to come within a whisker of breaking their own world record to win gold in the team sprint at the world championships in Astana, Kazakhstan, last month. Their time was just 0.015 off the world record they set at the 2010 world titles. McCulloch will now focus on defending her world title at the London Olympics next year.
3: Dragons win World Club Challenge
St George Illawarra’s brick-wall defence held strong as they refused to surrender a point in the second stanza of their come-from-behind inaugural world championship win against Wigan in England in February. The 21-15 victory, in front of almost 25,000 fans, saw the Dragons become the first Australian team since the star-studded Brisbane Broncos side 19 years ago to win all three major rugby league trophies: the minor premiership, premiership and World Club Challenge. ‘‘It’s an awesome feeling,’’ Dragons backrower Ben Creagh said. ‘‘It was an extremely tough game and their forward pack was big all over the park. It was a good hit out for us and excellent to win such a prestigious title.’’
2: Craig Alexander wins third Hawaiian Ironman
The Cronulla ironman set a race record for the World Ironman Championships in Kona, Hawaii in an event that includes a 3.8km swim, 180km bike ride and 42.2km run. Alexander became one of just four men to win the event at least three times. At 38, he became the oldest race winner. ‘‘I ran a good marathon off the bike but not my best because I had to change tactics,’’ Alexander said. ‘‘So I know I can, given good conditions, go under the eight-hour mark.’’ By the 35-kilometre mark, he’d built up a six-minute lead over Andreas Raelert and fellow Australian Peter Jacobs, but the leg cramps began to hit hard as Alexander finished his last salt tablets. He stopped another three times, not worrying that the race record might slip by him.
1: Billy Dib wins IBF world title
Born in Kogarah but having grown up in Engadine Billy Dib overcame chronic asthma to become a world champion. Dib won his second world title with a comprehensive unanimous 12 round points win to secure the vacant IBF title against Mexico’s Jorge Lacierva at Sydney Olympic Park in July. Instead of standing there and punching it out with Lacierva, 33, trainer Billy Hussein told Dib to move around the ring, work off his jab — and switch hit to confuse his opponent. ‘‘I’m just so happy to have won and I will show the IBF that I am a worthy champion by fighting anyone my management team deems worthy of the belt,’’ Dib said. Dib backed up the performance with a stunning first round knockout victory against previously undefeated Italian Alberto Servidei. A knockout-inspired training plan paved the way for Dib’s most destructive win of his career in November. ‘‘I wanted to show people I’m versatile,’’ Dib said.‘‘If Billy Hussein wants me to attack I’ll attack if he wants me to box I’ll box. People won’t know what to expect.’’
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