FRANKSTON TIMES scoreboard
Final hurrah for Australian great BLAIRGOWRIE boxer Jayde Mitchell returns to the ring on Saturday 30 March for the final send-off of one of Australia’s greatest boxers. The current world number nine super-middleweight boxer, Jayde Mitchell, will line-up on the undercard of his sparring partner and former world champion, Sam Soliman, who will step into the ring for the final time. In a phenomenal career spanning more than 20 years, Sam Soliman will bow out against another former world champion, Manny Siaca, at the Melbourne Pavilion. While Mitchell’s opponent is yet to be confirmed, he said to be on the final card of one his idols, Sam Soliman, means the world to him. “I’ve become such close mates with him,” Mitchell said. “I’ve learnt so much from him and he’s an absolute legend of the sport. He did it the hard way to become
world champion. He fought absolute killers in their own backyards, beating every one of them, to become world champion – it’s one hell of a story.” Soliman has won 45 fights across several weight divisions from lightmiddleweight division to cruiserweight and has come up against some of boxing’s greatest. Soliman competed for the WBA super-middleweight title against Anthony Mundine in 2007 and defeated the multiple-time world champion Felix Sturm for the IBF middleweight title in 2014. It makes sense for one of Australia’s greatest boxers to conclude
his career against another great of the game in Siaca, who has a title victory over Anthony Mundine for the WBA world super-middleweight title in 2004. “They’re both former world champions so it’ll be a great fight to see Sammy go out on,” Mitchell said. Mitchell is hoping his fight on the undercard will be a stepping stone for another major title fight in May before aiming for a world title by the end of the year. “This’ll bring me back into the swing of things and then it’s full steam ahead for another big year,” he said.
Hands up: Jayde Mitchell (left) and Sam Soliman finish up a sparring session. Picture: Supplied
Kiwi trainer joins Mornington’s ranks MORNINGTON has a new up-andcoming racehorse trainer in its midst with the former New Zealander Joe Waldron setting up base opposite the racecourse late last year. The former travelling foreman for champion New Zealand trainers Murray Baker and Andrew Forsman has been training in his own right in New Zealand for the past three seasons but decided to make the move in search of greater prize money. Along with the majority of his client base in New Zealand being from Australia, Waldron has embarked on his next chapter of his training career which now sees him own a 40 box barn with 14 horses currently in work. It’s been a move that Waldron has only seen as a positive.
“I’m loving it,” he said. “It’s certainly become home pretty quick. There’s no looking back that’s for sure.” Waldron has looked after some exceptional talent while working as a foreman for the Baker and Forsman combination, including the 2015 Caulfield Cup winner Mongolian Khan and 2016 Futurity Stakes winner Turn Me Loose but he’s also had some success in his own right which he hopes to bring to Victoria. Before making the move to Victoria, Waldron had trained seven winners from less than 50 starters in New Zealand and was training at a strike-rate of 15 percent. Now, he believes he can adapt to the slightly different training style in Victoria.
“You do need to train a little bit different over here,” he said. “Racing here is a lot more speed focussed so you’ve got to keep that in mind when you’re training but it’s relatively the same in some aspects. If you just have a fit, healthy and happy horse going to the races then more often than not they go well.” Waldron will have another 13 horses make their way from New Zealand on Wednesday 20 February and is hoping to have all 40 of his barn full by the spring.
On the rise: New Zealand trainer Joe Waldron makes the move to Mornington. Picture: Darryl Sherer
Clay shooters line up at Nationals FRANKSTON Australia Clay Target Club (FACTC) shooters made their way to Brisbane for the ISSF National Trap and Skeet titles on Monday 14 January. Some of Australia’s best showcased their skills and put some stellar scores on the board in what was a full field in the Trap events as well as the introduction of the Trap Mixed Teams events. FACTC landed some top shots to return home with eight National and Commonwealth title medals across the trap and skeet competitions. Commonwealth Games gold medallist and FACTC member Laetisha
Great aim: FACTC member Keith Ferguson returns after competing at the ISSF National titles. Picture: Supplied
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Frankston Times 12 February 2019
Scanlan led the way in the Ladies Trap qualifiers shooting a score of 115/125 before going on to take the silver medal in the Commonwealth Title and the National Title. It took a remarkable score to outshoot Scanlan with the winner, Penny Smith, shooting an amazing 123/125. That score beat the current world record of 122 but unfortunately isn’t recognised as it wasn’t achieved at an official ISSF World event. Nonetheless, the score was remarkable and topped the best male’s score which recorded a 121/125. Scanlan then went on to take gold in the Trap Mixed Pairs Commonwealth Title alongside fellow Australian, James Willett. FACTC’s Keith Ferguson and James Bolding also had a successful Nationals with Ferguson taking bronze in the Skeet Commonwealth Title and gold in the Skeet National Title.
Bolding came away with a silver medal in the Commonwealth Title and bronze in the National Title. Rio Olympian Paul Adams filled out the remaining spots in the commonwealth and national titles claiming gold and silver, respectively. FACTC’s Adam Vella also made a return to competition in the Men’s Trap. Vella qualified for both of the event finals before winning bronze in the Commonwealth Title (qualifying score of 117/125) and coming fourth in the National Title (qualifying score of 117/125). Vella finished the Nationals in fifth place overall with a combined score of 234/250. The shooters results from the National titles will go towards team selection for the World Cups and World Championships as they also strive to make the Tokyo 2020 Australian team.