Latest news with #AustralianOlympian
Perth Now
10-07-2025
- Sport
- Perth Now
High stakes in J-Bay as World Surf League Finals loom
While world No.1 Molly Picklum is all but assured of a start in the World Surf League Finals heading into the penultimate round at South Africa's J-Bay, the stakes are high for Australia's other contenders, including Ethan Ewing. Queenslander Ewing is the country's top-ranked man, sitting fifth, with the top five after the last competition in Tahiti advancing to the one-day title showdown in Fiji in late August. With competition due to kick off on Friday (local time), Ewing has enjoyed success at the famous Jeffreys Bay break, winning in 2022 and finishing runner-up a year later. But the 26-year-old has a tough opening round, drawn against American Cole Houshmand, who won at the last tour stop in Brazil, as well as exciting young Frenchman Marco Mignot. Ewing has fellow Australian Olympian Jack Robinson looking for a big finish to climb from seventh into the top five. Robinson takes on Brazilian duo Miguel Pupo and Joao Chianca in the opening round. South African rankings leader Jordy Smith, who has a house overlooking Supertubes, will start favourite as a two-time event winner. "To come in wearing the yellow jersey is epic - it's testament to the hard work and sacrifices over the years, and we keep swinging and see how the rest of the year plays out," Smith told the WSL. With a commanding lead heading into the final two competitions, Rio winner Picklum would need some disastrous showings to drop from first out of the top five. The NSW Central Coast 22-year-old, who finished runner-up at J-Bay in 2023, will look to overcome Canadian teen Erin Brooks and local wildcard Sarah Baum to avoid the elimination round. Two-time world champion Tyler Wright, ranked seventh, and world No.5 Isabella Nichols are also still in the running for the Finals, with Wright's first-up challenge including Hawaiian big gun Gabriela Ryan.
The Age
28-06-2025
- Sport
- The Age
Touch judge makes huge call as Dragons thwart late Eels comeback
There was very little between Parramatta and St George Illawarra. In the end, there might have just been a millimetre in it. With the game in the balance, Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr was flying down the left flank, seemingly setting up a try that would level the scores. 'The Foxx' flirted with the sideline and the touch judge raised his flag in the belief he put a toe on the white paint. It was a huge call and one that may have determined one of the most helter-skelter games of the season. In the end, the Dragons just hung on to record a thrilling 34-20 win at WIN Stadium. Their ability to overcome adversity proved decisive. Nathan Lawson had four minutes to prepare for his breakout game. The Australian Olympian – he made the switch from rugby sevens after the Paris Games – wasn't expecting to participate. Wearing jersey No.22, Lawson completed the pre-game warm-up as an emergency reserve, just in case he was needed. He was. The luckless Christian Tuipulotu succumbed to yet another hamstring strain just moments before kick-off. Lawson didn't waste his opportunity. It took just two minutes for Lawson to score his first try, and before long he had bagged a double. The winger even managed to defuse the majority of bombs that came his way, despite the constant threat of Zac Lomax. This was the story of the Dragons' night. Whether it be the Tuipolutu drama, the injuries that ended Luciano Leilua's (quad) and Toby Couchman's (shoulder) nights, the head-injury assessments to Corey Allen, Emre Guler and Hamish Stewart, or a spirited Eels comeback, the Red V somehow hung on.
Sydney Morning Herald
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Sydney Morning Herald
Touch judge makes huge call as Dragons thwart late Eels comeback
There was very little between Parramatta and St George Illawarra. In the end, there might have just been a millimetre in it. With the game in the balance, Eels winger Josh Addo-Carr was flying down the left flank, seemingly setting up a try that would level the scores. 'The Foxx' flirted with the sideline and the touch judge raised his flag in the belief he put a toe on the white paint. It was a huge call and one that may have determined one of the most helter-skelter games of the season. In the end, the Dragons just hung on to record a thrilling 34-20 win at WIN Stadium. Their ability to overcome adversity proved decisive. Nathan Lawson had four minutes to prepare for his breakout game. The Australian Olympian – he made the switch from rugby sevens after the Paris Games – wasn't expecting to participate. Wearing jersey No.22, Lawson completed the pre-game warm-up as an emergency reserve, just in case he was needed. He was. The luckless Christian Tuipulotu succumbed to yet another hamstring strain just moments before kick-off. Lawson didn't waste his opportunity. It took just two minutes for Lawson to score his first try, and before long he had bagged a double. The winger even managed to defuse the majority of bombs that came his way, despite the constant threat of Zac Lomax. This was the story of the Dragons' night. Whether it be the Tuipolutu drama, the injuries that ended Luciano Leilua's (quad) and Toby Couchman's (shoulder) nights, the head-injury assessments to Corey Allen, Emre Guler and Hamish Stewart, or a spirited Eels comeback, the Red V somehow hung on.
The Advertiser
24-06-2025
- Sport
- The Advertiser
We must stop Enhanced Games, says Aussie crusader
An Australian crusader for clean sport is launching a campaign against Enhanced Games, describing the drug-friendly event as "utter bollocks". Jaimie Fuller, a long-time advocate for sporting justice, felt compelled to act after timid responses from global powers to Enhanced Games. "We have got to do something," Fuller told AAP. "We can't just sit back and say 'Let it run its course' because its course doesn't end in a really good place." Fuller has enlisted "key influencers, particularly in the swimming world" to target companies considering linking with Enhanced Games with what he described as a pre-emptive warning. "This is one hell of a toxic environment - and you really need to think carefully before attaching your name to this," Fuller said. Enhanced Games, a multi-sports event without drug testing, was launched in Las Vegas last month by Australian entrepreneur and founder Aron D'Souza. With the backing of multi-billionaires among others, the inaugural games will be held in May next year with Australian swimmer James Magnussen the first athlete signed. Dual Australian Olympian and renowned coach Brett Hawke has also joined as Enhanced Games' head swim coach. D'Souza wants to push sporting boundaries while using the event as a shop window for an enhancements industry potentially worth trillions. "This is purely a cynical commercial play from them," Fuller said. "This is not a bunch of billionaires and VCs (venture capitalists) who have decided, 'We have this philosophical desire to understand the lengths that a human can go to'. "That is complete and utter bollocks. "This is about the marketing campaign. This is a launch campaign. "And I have got to tell you, if you didn't care about ethics, integrity, morals or anything like that, it's a really interesting approach. "Because they've got a heck of a lot of eyeballs very quickly on their website." Fuller, who has fought cycling over doping and FIFA corruption among other battles, is the former chairman of sports gear manufacturer Skins, and remains particularly connected with swimming via his tech company eo. "The danger is, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, I know coaches who have already had conversations with their swimmers saying, 'This looks really interesting' and 'I'd love to know how much better I could be by taking these performance enhancing drugs'," he said. "This is already happening." And happening while world sport has taken a head-in-sand approach. "I went and spoke to a bunch of key influencers and was bitterly disappointed by the amount of knock-backs," Fuller said. "I wanted to get others to sign up to our campaign. "We're building an integrity wall, where people can sign up, put their photo up and put their name on it. "And trying to get these guys to do it is difficult. "The ones that have communicated openly with me, it's primarily about, 'We don't want to give these bastards any more oxygen'." Fuller understood that argument. "But at the end of the day, if we don't come out against this, then it's going to trickle on," he said. "And frankly, my ultimate objective here is to send a message to sponsors, advertisers and broadcasters." An Australian crusader for clean sport is launching a campaign against Enhanced Games, describing the drug-friendly event as "utter bollocks". Jaimie Fuller, a long-time advocate for sporting justice, felt compelled to act after timid responses from global powers to Enhanced Games. "We have got to do something," Fuller told AAP. "We can't just sit back and say 'Let it run its course' because its course doesn't end in a really good place." Fuller has enlisted "key influencers, particularly in the swimming world" to target companies considering linking with Enhanced Games with what he described as a pre-emptive warning. "This is one hell of a toxic environment - and you really need to think carefully before attaching your name to this," Fuller said. Enhanced Games, a multi-sports event without drug testing, was launched in Las Vegas last month by Australian entrepreneur and founder Aron D'Souza. With the backing of multi-billionaires among others, the inaugural games will be held in May next year with Australian swimmer James Magnussen the first athlete signed. Dual Australian Olympian and renowned coach Brett Hawke has also joined as Enhanced Games' head swim coach. D'Souza wants to push sporting boundaries while using the event as a shop window for an enhancements industry potentially worth trillions. "This is purely a cynical commercial play from them," Fuller said. "This is not a bunch of billionaires and VCs (venture capitalists) who have decided, 'We have this philosophical desire to understand the lengths that a human can go to'. "That is complete and utter bollocks. "This is about the marketing campaign. This is a launch campaign. "And I have got to tell you, if you didn't care about ethics, integrity, morals or anything like that, it's a really interesting approach. "Because they've got a heck of a lot of eyeballs very quickly on their website." Fuller, who has fought cycling over doping and FIFA corruption among other battles, is the former chairman of sports gear manufacturer Skins, and remains particularly connected with swimming via his tech company eo. "The danger is, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, I know coaches who have already had conversations with their swimmers saying, 'This looks really interesting' and 'I'd love to know how much better I could be by taking these performance enhancing drugs'," he said. "This is already happening." And happening while world sport has taken a head-in-sand approach. "I went and spoke to a bunch of key influencers and was bitterly disappointed by the amount of knock-backs," Fuller said. "I wanted to get others to sign up to our campaign. "We're building an integrity wall, where people can sign up, put their photo up and put their name on it. "And trying to get these guys to do it is difficult. "The ones that have communicated openly with me, it's primarily about, 'We don't want to give these bastards any more oxygen'." Fuller understood that argument. "But at the end of the day, if we don't come out against this, then it's going to trickle on," he said. "And frankly, my ultimate objective here is to send a message to sponsors, advertisers and broadcasters." An Australian crusader for clean sport is launching a campaign against Enhanced Games, describing the drug-friendly event as "utter bollocks". Jaimie Fuller, a long-time advocate for sporting justice, felt compelled to act after timid responses from global powers to Enhanced Games. "We have got to do something," Fuller told AAP. "We can't just sit back and say 'Let it run its course' because its course doesn't end in a really good place." Fuller has enlisted "key influencers, particularly in the swimming world" to target companies considering linking with Enhanced Games with what he described as a pre-emptive warning. "This is one hell of a toxic environment - and you really need to think carefully before attaching your name to this," Fuller said. Enhanced Games, a multi-sports event without drug testing, was launched in Las Vegas last month by Australian entrepreneur and founder Aron D'Souza. With the backing of multi-billionaires among others, the inaugural games will be held in May next year with Australian swimmer James Magnussen the first athlete signed. Dual Australian Olympian and renowned coach Brett Hawke has also joined as Enhanced Games' head swim coach. D'Souza wants to push sporting boundaries while using the event as a shop window for an enhancements industry potentially worth trillions. "This is purely a cynical commercial play from them," Fuller said. "This is not a bunch of billionaires and VCs (venture capitalists) who have decided, 'We have this philosophical desire to understand the lengths that a human can go to'. "That is complete and utter bollocks. "This is about the marketing campaign. This is a launch campaign. "And I have got to tell you, if you didn't care about ethics, integrity, morals or anything like that, it's a really interesting approach. "Because they've got a heck of a lot of eyeballs very quickly on their website." Fuller, who has fought cycling over doping and FIFA corruption among other battles, is the former chairman of sports gear manufacturer Skins, and remains particularly connected with swimming via his tech company eo. "The danger is, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, I know coaches who have already had conversations with their swimmers saying, 'This looks really interesting' and 'I'd love to know how much better I could be by taking these performance enhancing drugs'," he said. "This is already happening." And happening while world sport has taken a head-in-sand approach. "I went and spoke to a bunch of key influencers and was bitterly disappointed by the amount of knock-backs," Fuller said. "I wanted to get others to sign up to our campaign. "We're building an integrity wall, where people can sign up, put their photo up and put their name on it. "And trying to get these guys to do it is difficult. "The ones that have communicated openly with me, it's primarily about, 'We don't want to give these bastards any more oxygen'." Fuller understood that argument. "But at the end of the day, if we don't come out against this, then it's going to trickle on," he said. "And frankly, my ultimate objective here is to send a message to sponsors, advertisers and broadcasters."
West Australian
24-06-2025
- Sport
- West Australian
We must stop Enhanced Games, says Aussie crusader
An Australian crusader for clean sport is launching a campaign against Enhanced Games, describing the drug-friendly event as "utter bollocks". Jaimie Fuller, a long-time advocate for sporting justice, felt compelled to act after timid responses from global powers to Enhanced Games. "We have got to do something," Fuller told AAP. "We can't just sit back and say 'Let it run its course' because its course doesn't end in a really good place." Fuller has enlisted "key influencers, particularly in the swimming world" to target companies considering linking with Enhanced Games with what he described as a pre-emptive warning. "This is one hell of a toxic environment - and you really need to think carefully before attaching your name to this," Fuller said. Enhanced Games, a multi-sports event without drug testing, was launched in Las Vegas last month by Australian entrepreneur and founder Aron D'Souza. With the backing of multi-billionaires among others, the inaugural games will be held in May next year with Australian swimmer James Magnussen the first athlete signed. Dual Australian Olympian and renowned coach Brett Hawke has also joined as Enhanced Games' head swim coach. D'Souza wants to push sporting boundaries while using the event as a shop window for an enhancements industry potentially worth trillions. "This is purely a cynical commercial play from them," Fuller said. "This is not a bunch of billionaires and VCs (venture capitalists) who have decided, 'We have this philosophical desire to understand the lengths that a human can go to'. "That is complete and utter bollocks. "This is about the marketing campaign. This is a launch campaign. "And I have got to tell you, if you didn't care about ethics, integrity, morals or anything like that, it's a really interesting approach. "Because they've got a heck of a lot of eyeballs very quickly on their website." Fuller, who has fought cycling over doping and FIFA corruption among other battles, is the former chairman of sports gear manufacturer Skins, and remains particularly connected with swimming via his tech company eo. "The danger is, and I can tell you from first-hand experience, I know coaches who have already had conversations with their swimmers saying, 'This looks really interesting' and 'I'd love to know how much better I could be by taking these performance enhancing drugs'," he said. "This is already happening." And happening while world sport has taken a head-in-sand approach. "I went and spoke to a bunch of key influencers and was bitterly disappointed by the amount of knock-backs," Fuller said. "I wanted to get others to sign up to our campaign. "We're building an integrity wall, where people can sign up, put their photo up and put their name on it. "And trying to get these guys to do it is difficult. "The ones that have communicated openly with me, it's primarily about, 'We don't want to give these bastards any more oxygen'." Fuller understood that argument. "But at the end of the day, if we don't come out against this, then it's going to trickle on," he said. "And frankly, my ultimate objective here is to send a message to sponsors, advertisers and broadcasters."
