Oly: Wrap of Aussies in action at Beijing today

AAP General News (Australia)
08-11-2008
Oly: Wrap of Aussies in action at Beijing today

LIBBY TRICKETT and JESSICAH SCHIPPER spearhead Australia's Olympic swim campaign today
.. in the quest for their nation's second gold medal of the Beijing Games.

TRICKETT goes into the women's 100m butterfly final as fastest qualifier .. with teammate
SCHIPPER third fastest .. attempting to add to the lone gold won so far by 400m medley
world record holder STEPHANIE RICE.

SCHIPPER may be considered an outsider .. but she has the added incentive of a place
in the Australian women's 4x100m medley relay team .. which is a firm gold medal favourite.

She says the medley relay is the toughest to get into .. and to be part of that team
would be awesome.



BRENTON RICKARD is Australia's other contender in the Water Cube Olympic pool today
.. chasing a medal in the men's 100m breaststroke final .. something no Australian has
done since PHIL ROGERS in 1992.



Meanwhile .. at the Beijing shooting range .. where two-time gold medallist MICHAEL
DIAMOND narrowly missed a bronze in yesterday's men's trap event .. it'll be the women's
turn .. with Australian hopes on 31-year-old STACY ROIALL .. who's ranked 14th in the
world.

Australians BEN BURGE and MATTHEW INABINET will also compete in the 10 metre air rifle.



Over-achieving single sculler PETER HARDCASTLE faces his make-or-break Olympic moment
when he lines up for the rowing quarter-finals.

HARDCASTLE must finish in the top three of his heat to go through to the final 12 for
the semi-finals on Wednesday.



The women's basketballers are tipped to notch a second victory tonight .. after brushing
aside Belarus in their opening game .. and should do the same to a rebuilding Brazilian
outfit.



LLEYTON HEWITT takes to the court in the men's tennis singles .. weather permitting
after rain interruptions yesterday .. with ALICIA MOLIK in the women's singles.



The men's hockey team takes on Canada .. and the women's water polo side comes up against
Greece .. while Australia take a sizeable lead into the cross-country stage of the equestrian
eventing competition in Hong Kong.

AAP RTV dc/jds/psm/

KEYWORD: OLY08 AUST (BEIJING)

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