Bundaberg’s Isaac Cooper has continued his sensational season by claiming two gold medals on the first two days of the Australian Age Swimming Championships.
Competing at the Gold Coast, Isaac won the 17 years boys 50m freestyle on Wednesday and 100m backstroke last night.
In freestyle he clocked 22:86sec, while in the backstroke, which is his best stroke, the rising superstar broke both the Australian and Allcomers records with a slick 54:56.
Isaac is enjoying a rest day today before chasing further gold in a few more races at the Australian Age Swimming Championships prior to the Australian Open Championships at the same venue starting on Wednesday.
Meanwhile, fellow Bundaberg 17-year-old Tobias “Toby” Street, who has started a scholarship at Bond University this year, was an integral part of their team which claimed silver in the 14-17 years boys 4x100m Freestyle Relay with an also superb split of 51:37.
Kasey Krueger of the Bundaberg Swim Team is also competing at the nationals.
Kasey picked up two silver medals, representing Shalom College at the recent Schools State Titles, in the Girls 13 years 200m Freestyle and 13-14 years 100m Freestyle, also competing strongly in five other events, while school-mate Max O’Brien mixed it with the best in his eight events in the Boys 13 years division.
Bundaberg’s only other Queensland Schools medallist was 10-year-old dynamic all-rounder Ethan Giles of St Mary’s Catholic Primary, who claimed bronze in the 100m Butterfly, just missed a second medal when fourth in 50m Butterfly, and also placed seventh in 50m Freestyle and 200m IM at his first Queensland swimming titles, and he was rewarded with selection in the School Sport Queensland 10-12 years Team.
St Luke’s Anglican School had six representatives at the schools’ tournament, each of whom excelled; Mimi Woods, and Olivia Warmington, in the 13-19 years section, and Malachi Iboro, Vinnie Vella and Olivia’s sister Isabella, in the 10-12 years.
Rugby League
Waves Tigers will be greatly bolstered by their star signing.
Bundaberg born and bred, former North Queensland Cowboys NYC and In Trust Super Cup electrifying centre Cody Maughan for their Bundaberg Broadcasters A Grade Premiership duel with Easts Magpies at Salter Oval at 5pm tomorrow.
Waves will be smarting from a 23-22 first-round defeat at the hands of Hervey Bay Seagulls, while the Magpies are flying high after racking up a half-century of points against Wallaroos.
There is certain to be a lot of feeling in the match with Cody and his older brother Reece and Ross Larsen all former Magpies, while Easts contain three former Waves’ premiership winning stars and prolific try scorers Trent Seeds, Billy Stefaniuk and Tyrell Howard.
At 3pm, also impressive first-round winners Wests Panthers will suit up against Ross, while Hervey Bay Seagulls will host premiers Past Brothers, who were given a reality check by Wests, losing 46-22.
Meanwhile, South Kolan Sharks will be holding a “Welcome Back Old Boys Day” when they host the first round of the Northern Districts Premiership at Shark Park this Sunday.
On the field, after the cancellation of last season due to Covid-19, the Sharks will take on Miriam Vale Magpies at 3.15pm and coach Andrew Filo has his side ready to hit the ground running.
At 1.30pm Avondale Tigers will start their quest for a hat-trick of premierships when they take on Gin Gin Hawks.
The Women’s League Tag has unfortunately been reduced to a three-team competition, and premiers Avondale have two sides, Tigers who will raise the curtain on the season against the Hawks at 12.15pm, and Hornets, who have the bye.
AFL
After a horror last season, Brothers Bulldogs player/coach Jack Sickerdick is aiming to be very competitive in 2021, but their have a tough first-round assignment when they travel to meet Hervey Bay Bombers in the AFL Wide Bay Senior Premiership tomorrow.
With the other two teams in the competition, premiers Across The Waves Eagles and beaten grand finalists Bay Power both having a bye, all eyes will be on the Bombers-Bulldogs encounter.
Jack said they have a much better side to last year and their preparation had been good, including in a trial game against Rockhampton Panthers, where they kicked 11 goals to the Northerners’ 12.
“It was a good hit-out – they were a quick side, but we were more possessive with lots of talls around the ground, and it’s exciting to get into the real thing,” Jack said.
“We’ve got 3 or 4 who have started playing again after missing last season, such as Joel Saunders Kyle Anderson and Guy Rivett, Adam Klim is one of our newbies, and have a lot of young ones who get you excited around the ball – young Harry Hodson has come on in leaps and bounds and will be a real handful for anyone who runs with him in the midfield.
“We will not aim for anything drastic, just take it week to week and be more competitive at the contest and be more competitive as a team and a club, especially on the road, but I think we can put up a tough contest, and I still think we can win this week, and we want to play the game on our terms from the start.”
Meanwhile, the Takalvan’s Women’s Premiership has three rounds remaining, with both of tomorrow’s games in Bundaberg, with the last-placed Bulldogs hosting Bay Power at 3pm at Brothers Sports Club, and the all-conquering Eagles to meet Gympie Cats at home at Frank Coulthard Oval.
Bundaberg Hockey
Bundaberg Hockey senior fixtures will resume after the Easter break at Hinkler Park tomorrow, with juniors to return next weekend.
In Division 1 Arrows/Athletics are opposed to Waves Cities, with the men at 1.30pm and women at 3pm, while All Blacks lock horns with Raiders/Rovers at 4.30pm and 6pm respectively.
Football
Brothers-Aston Villa, who have won their first three games in the Wide Bay Premier League Men’s division, will face their toughest test to date when they do battle with the also all-conquering Across The Waves (ATW) in the only match of the split round at Martens Oval at 6pm tomorrow.
The only other game on the program is a Bundaberg Second Division Men’s Cup clash between ATW and SC Corinthians at 4pm.
Greyhounds
Goodwood owner/trainer Stephen Bland dominated this week’s Bundaberg meeting, taking out a winning treble.
He claimed the co-feature rich Easter Cup Final with rank outsider Cambla Doll ($17) completing a hat-trick of wins, before making it a race-to-race double with the well backed Cambla Gem ($3.90) snapping an 11-race losing streak, outgunning favourite Oliver Tears in a 5th Grade, after he had been successful with another long-shot Louisiana Flyer ($8.50) in the Mixed 3rd/4th Grade earlier in the day.
Bundaberg trainer Lindsay McCarthy made a perfect start to the program, winning the first two events, with Shawanda, which had been unplaced at her only previous start at Wentworth Park, sent out a hot favourite, paying $1.95, and she gave her rivals a running lesson.
Lindsay then picked up the $2,450 winner’s purse in the other co-feature, the Bundaberg Maiden 1000 Final/Class 4, with Sholto, which had won on debut for him a week earlier.
Two other locals were also victorious at the Easter Monday Holiday fun-fest, another Goodwood owner/trainer Louise Cameron, who picked up the quinella with Maeve and Richmer Assault in the Masters 5th Grade, and Paul Burgess with Wildash Trapper, which posted his fifth win in 10 outings at the Park in the Mixed 4th/5th Grade.
Other sports news: Bundaberg’s Ben Marschke makes Roosters debut
