OLYMPICS

By TOM HAYES

 

THREE Latrobe Valley locals will partake on a journey to Paris this week when they step onto the Olympic stage.

The 2024 Paris Olympic Games officially gets underway this Friday (July 26), which will see the best of the best go head-to-head with their international counterparts in their chosen field.

The Olympics will be held for 17 days, officially finishing on August 11.

Representing the Latrobe Valley is Traralgon’s Jade Melbourne (basketball), Traralgon’s Aoife Coughlan (judo), and Moe-born Teagan Micah (football/soccer).

Across the Australian contingent, 460 athletes have been selected to represent the green and gold over 33 sports.

Coughlan and Micah are returning to the Olympic stage, having competed at the Tokyo 2020 (held in 2021 due to the pandemic).

Melbourne is on her Olympic debut, although continuing to fly the Traralgon basketball flag following the retirement of Jenna O’Hea, who captained the Opals at the last Games.

“Just the confirmation that you’re heading to an Olympics, it was an unbelievable feeling,” Melbourne told ESPN.

Melbourne will be joined by 230 other debutants from Australia.

 

Jade Melbourne, Traralgon – Basketball

MELBOURNE will be representing Australia, as part of the 12-player squad selected to play for the Opals.

Melbourne will take to the court, as the basketball competition is played in a group stage and knockout style.

The Opals start their campaign in the group stage against Nigeria on July 29 (7pm AEST). In their following two group stage games they will face Canada on August 1 (9.30pm), and France on August 5 (5am).

If the Opals make their way out of the group stage, the knockout games are as follows: Quarter Finals on August 7 and 8, Semi Finals on August 10. The bronze medal and gold medal matches are scheduled for August 11.

Melbourne has been known to come off the bench for the Opals, making one start in a warm-up game.

Known for her speed and passing abilities, the 21-year-old will surely inject some pace and precision into the game when she steps onto the court.

The Opals progressed to the knockouts as a third-placed team in their group in Tokyo. Their time in the knockouts was short-lived however, when they were defeated by the US in the Quarter Final by 24 points. The US went on to win the gold medal match, defeating the home nation of Japan by 15 points.

 

Aoife Coughlan, Traralgon – Judo

COUGHLAN is returning for her second Olympics, after making her Olympic debut three years ago.

The Traralgon export will again try her trade in the 70-kilogram women’s judo division.

Coughlan will take to the mat for the preliminary rounds on July 31 from 6pm, with the championship rounds following six hours later (August 1, 12am).

She will have to leave it all out there on the mat, will little room for mistake.

At the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 29-year-old finished equal-ninth in the Round of 16.

Since then however, she has won a gold medal at the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, also in the 70kg division.

Coughlan has countless medals from the sheer brunt of competitions she has competed in, and she will be using all of that expertise to get as far as she can in Paris.

 

Teagan Micah, Moe – Football (Soccer)

MICAH will be a part of Australia’s football (soccer) contingent, representing the Matildas.

Like the basketball competition, the football is also played in a group stage and knockout style.

Micah has been playing as a natural back-up goalkeeper to starting goalkeeper, Mackenzie Arnold, who previously captained West Ham in the Women’s Super League in England.

The 26-year-old featured multiple times in friendlies for Australia, but unless Arnold is struck with injury, or Australia have certified progression to the knockouts, she may spend most of her time on the training track and on the bench.

The Matildas have three scheduled group games against Germany this Friday (3am), Zambia on July 29 (3am), and the US on August 1 (3am).

If they are granted progression by topping those three nations, the Matildas could see themselves in the knockout stages which is as follows: Quarter Finals from August 3 to 5 and Semi Finals on August 7. The bronze medal match is scheduled for August 9, with the gold medal match scheduled for August 11.

At the most-previous Tokyo Olympics, Micah and the Matildas made it to the Semi Final, falling short in defeat to Sweden.

Micah became an overnight sensation at the 2020 Games, pulling off a 100th minute penalty save against Great Britain in the knockout stages.

The Matilda’s went on to win, progressing their campaign further, thanks to the efforts of the former Moe United Soccer Club junior.