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Josh Green with his Bronze medal.

Extra Time. See centre pull-out.

Penrith-born Melissa Wu won her first individual Olympic medal last week.

Penrith’s double Bronze

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith’s Olympic representatives have ended their Tokyo campaign in style, with diver Melissa Wu and basketballer Josh Green securing themselves a Bronze medal each last week.

For Penrith-born diver Wu, it was her first individual Olympic medal but second overall after winning Silver as a 16-yearold in Beijing in the 10m Synchro.

Wu’s Bronze in the Women’s 10m Platform event last week came in the final days of the Games where Australia took home an incredible 17 Gold, seven Silver and 22 Bronze medals – their best result ever.

Speaking to Channel Seven following her Bronze Medal win, the 29-year-old said it had been a long and challenging journey but one that has well and truly paid off.

“I’m feeling pretty excited about it, it has been a long road,” Wu said.

“I’ve been diving for a very long time now and I’ve had Synchro success in the past, but the last five years I’ve really focused on my individual event and to come away with Bronze here is just amazing.”

Tokyo was the western Sydney resident’s fourth Olympics after finishing just outside the medals in Rio, London and Beijing for 10m Platform.

Wu said she never gave up her dream of standing on the podium once again.

“I think I’m very goal driven and very focused and I’ve always had that dream to win another Olympic medal,” she said.

“I won a medal at my first Games when I was 16 in Synchro and I always wanted to do that individually, and I think I’ve gone from strength to strength over the years and worked really hard on my mindset.

“I knew coming here that I could do it and I think just that dream kept pushing me for all these years.”

Like Wu in her first Games in 2008, Penrith Basketball junior Josh Green collected a medal in his debut Olympics as well.

The 20-year-old was a member of the gutsy Australian Boomers side that created history last Saturday night defeating Slovenia, 107-93, to win Australian men’s basketball’s first ever Olympic Medal.

Captain Patty Mills produced a performance for the ages, sinking a game-high 42 points as he led his team and country to an emotional Bronze medal in Tokyo.

While Green didn’t feature in the final match, the young Dallas Mavericks star did play in each of Australia’s other five games averaging just over three minutes per game off the bench.

Interestingly, the Boomers had two other former Penrith Basketball representatives on deck as well in assistant coaches Matt Nielsen and John Rillie.

Green has now returned to the US.

Prue Car MP MEMBER FOR LONDONDERRY Congratulations to all our Olympic heroes! Congratulations to all our Olympic heroes! Our courageous athletes have given us so much hope, Our courageous athletes have given us so much hope, just when we need it most. just when we need it most. We are incredibly proud of their stellar achievements. We are incredibly proud of their stellar achievements.

THUNDER’S CROWD HOPE

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“She continues to foster a really strong culture.

“All players, from my point of view, seem to be very clear on their role, are highly valued within the set up and are provided with opportunities to develop. That’s what I’ve seen Rachael do so well over the last couple of years.”

The Thunder is scheduled to begin their title defence against the Adelaide Strikers at North Sydney Oval on Saturday, October 16, before renewing their crosstown rivalry with the Sydney Sixers the next day at the same venue.

For Haynes, to be back playing in front of the Thunder Nation this season, would be “really uplifting”.

“If we can get to the point at the start of WBBL, where we’ll be able to play in front of our home crowd and perhaps bring some joy to what at times has been a tough situation, it would be a fantastic way to hopefully come out the other side of what’s been a challenging 12 to 18 months at different times,” she said.

Finals the goal for Wanderers

NATHAN TAYLOR

Penrith local Bryleeh Henry enjoyed her first season in the W-League so much that she’s coming back for more.

The Werrington Downs resident, who recently signed a new one-year deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers, joined the club last season after making waves in the NSW National Premier League Women’s competition with Football NSW Institute where she scored seven goals in 10 games.

The 18-year-old former Xavier College student shone in her first W-League season and scored her first goals, a double against Melbourne City, towards the end of the season.

Wanderers W-League coach Catherine Cannuli said she’s excited to work with Henry again.

“Bryleeh is a dynamite on the field and her hard work over in the domestic competitions over the last few years has seen her reap the benefits in the W-League,” she said.

“She is a passionate western Sydney girl and has a wealth of talent that we are looking forward to continuing to develop.”

Henry, who was a member of the Junior Matildas back in 2019, said she was grateful for the chance to return to Wanderland for another season.

“I was beyond grateful for the opportunity to make my debut in the W-League last season and even more grateful to make it at my hometown club,” she said.

“I love the Wanderers. They are a familybased club and really take care of their players. The culture at the club is one I have never experienced before and having such an amazing culture really makes training every day so much more enjoyable.”

The Wanderers missed out on a spot in the W-League Finals last season, finishing in sixth position with just four wins to their name. In June, they promoted club legend Catherine Cannuli as the team’s head coach.

Henry said she’s ready to help to take the Wanderers to a Finals berth this upcoming season.

“I learnt so much and I felt I grew massively as a player and a person [last year],” she said.

“I know I still have a lot of work to do as a player to get where I want to be but I’m extremely excited to start working under

Bryleeh Henry has signed a new deal with the Western Sydney Wanderers.

Catherine and keep building from last season.

“We were so unlucky to just miss the Finals stage last season, which was disappointing, but we will build off that and pick up where we left off and keep improving to hopefully bring the trophy home.”

The 2021/22 W-League season is scheduled to kick-off on November 12.

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Biggest derby ever: Giants and Swifts in battle for Final

The Giants downed West Coast Fever last weekend.

NATHAN TAYLOR

Giants Netball have secured their second Minor Premiership in club history, with a coveted spot in the 2021 Super Netball Grand Final on the line this Saturday afternoon against the NSW Swifts.

In what’s being billed as the biggest local derby between Sydney’s two sides, the Giants will go into tomorrow’s match as slight favourites at Brisbane’s Nissan Arena.

It will be the first Finals Series for the Giants since 2018 when they last finished the regular season on top.

For the Swifts, it’ll be their third Finals campaign in a row, proving they’ll be a more than formidable opponent for the Giants in Saturday’s Major Semi Final.

The Giants secured the Minor Premiership following a gritty 75-73 victory over the West Coast Fever last weekend.

The short-handed Giants recovered from six goals down to stun the Fever and book a clash with the Swifts for a place in the decider.

“We are just so elated to get that win, to finish at the top of the table and playing for a place in the (Grand) Final next week,” Giants captain Jo Harten said.

The loser out of the Giants-Swifts blockbuster will go on to face the winner out of Saturday’s Minor Semi Final between West Coast and Sunshine Coast.

The entire Super Netball Finals Series will be broadcast live on Channel Nine.

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Penrith’s #1 NRL coverage – Extra Time – See centre lift-out

Haynes bats on

NATHAN TAYLOR

Aussie star Rachael Haynes will lead Sydney Thunder’s title defence after re-signing with the club for the upcoming WBBL season.

“I just really enjoy playing for a club that stands for something and is aligned with the community in the way it is,” Haynes, who enters her third season as a captain, said.

“I’m really excited to be around for another 12 months.”

The 34-year-old has been at the Thunder since the beginning of WBBL and has been an integral part of two titles, the first in WBBL|01 then as captain for WBBL|06.

Last season’s success was made all the more significant by the unique situation of playing the entire tournament within a bio-secure ‘bubble’ due to the pandemic.

“It was absolutely incredibly to be a part of… an incredible achievement and I’m looking forward to building on that experience with this side,” Haynes said.

“We’ve got a core group of players there, and I think the exciting thing for our team is that I don’t think anyone has reached their ceiling yet.

“I think we’ve got heaps of room for improvement and players are going to continue to get better.”

Haynes went to the top of the club’s WBBL run-scorers list last season passing the player she took over the captaincy from in 2019, Thunder great Alex Blackwell.

Blackwell, now the Thunder’s WBBL List Manager, said Haynes was a crucial signing given what she means to the club. “Rachael is completely committed, and I think that’s what is quite inspiring to people around her,”

she said.

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