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NCAA Basketball Tournament Bracket is set!
Published: Wednesday, March 17, 2010
It is women’s basketball fans favorite time of the year --- March Madness. Will UConn continue their historic dominance and win its seventh national title? Or will there be a stand-out Cinderella story that keeps fans on the edge of their seats?
Selection Monday saw some surprises and some not-so-surprising results. Connecticut, Tennessee, Stanford and Nebraska locked up the four No. 1 spots, while perennial powerhouses like Maryland will have to settle for watching the action from home. The action begins Saturday in regional play and will continue until the National Championship game in San Antonio at the Alamodome on Tuesday, April 6.
Not sure which teams to follow? According to NCAA.com, here are five teams fans should keep their eye on:
Wisconsin-Green Bay
They saw an amazing win streak broken this season, received the Horizon League's first-ever at-large bid instead of the automatic bid and now anything is possible as the Phoenix with a No. 12 seed in the Dayton Region take on fifth-seeded Virginia this weekend.
Without a single senior on the roster, this team is young. However considering that this will be the 10th appearance in the last 13 years and second in the last three seasons, this team knows what is expected of them at this point in the year.
Leading the Phoenix are four Horizon League student-athletes that include regular starters Celeste Hoewish (13.8 ppg and 4.1 rpg), Kayla Tetschlag (team-leading 14.8 ppg and 6.5 rpg), Julie Wojta (14.2 ppg and 6.1 rpg) and Sara Eisher (5.8 ppg and 2.6 rpg).
TCU
For nine out of the last 10 years, the Horned Frogs of TCU have been a regular in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament. In addition, after out-lasting a four overtime game at Utah in February, this team from the Mountain West Conference (MWC) knows how to thrill women's college basketball fans.
TCU brings experience into the tournament this year with the current MWC Coach of the Year in Jeff Mittie and seven upperclassmen which include junior Helena Sverrisdottir (13.6 ppg and 6.6 rpg) who is the MWC Player of the Year.
TCU enters the tournament as the No. 9 seed in the Memphis Region and will be challenged by the No. 8 seed of Dayton. TCU is not ranked nationally, but they did receive votes and recorded some key wins against Texas A&M (No. 2 seed in the Sacramento Region), Fresno State (No. 13 seed in Memphis Region) and San Diego State (MWC automatic bid winner and No. 11 seed also in the Memphis Region).
Gonzaga
They are nationally ranked at 18, earned the automatic bid by winning the West Coast Conference (WCC) post season conference tournament and field a team that includes a two-time WCC Player of the Year and the current WCC Newcomer of The Year.
WCC Coach of the Year Kelly Graves' line-up consists of WCC Player of the Year Courtney Vandersloot (14.6 ppg and 289 assists), Heather Bowman (team-leading 15.6 ppg), Vivian Frieson (team-leading 7.3 rpg) and WCC Newcomer of the Year Katelan Redmon (10.8 ppg).
The Bulldogs - who are in the Sacramento Region -- enter the tournament on a five-game win-streak and to improve upon their best finish from last year's second round, they will need to get past No. 10 seed North Carolina and the winner of the No. 2 seed Texas A&M and No. 15 seed Portland State first round game.
UCLA
Back in October, UCLA was projected to finish fourth in the conference by the Pac-10 coaches. Instead of living up to expectations, they surpassed them. This young team finished the season second in the conference standings and 23 in the country.
Guided by 2010 Pac-10 Coach of The Year Nikki Caldwell, this Bruin roster consists of only three seniors and none of them are full time starters. Instead, the Bruins typically start freshman Markel Walker (a All-Pac-10 Freshman Team honoree), sophomores Jasmine Dixon (All-Pac-10 Team honoree) and Rebekah Gardner (team leader in blocked shots - 24), juniors Darxia Morris (team leader in assists - 102) and Doreena Campbell (a two-time All-Pac-10 Team honoree).
Before falling to the No. 2-ranked team in the country of Stanford last weekend, UCLA had won their last 10 games, so they have some momentum heading into the tournament.
Princeton
They did not have a post season conference tournament to play, but after finishing with a perfect 14-0 record in the Ivy League, the women of Princeton are in the NCAA Women's Basketball Tournament for the first time in the program's history. .
The Tigers' success has come from a young team that starts two freshmen (Lauren Polansky and Niveen Rasheed), two sophomores (Lauren Edwards and Devona Allgood) and one junior (Addie Micir). They may only have two seniors on their 12-player roster, but with five players earning all-league honors, youth is king when it comes to winning games.
Princeton is led by third-year coach Courtney Banghart, who has a resume that isn't too shabby. Banghart played in two NCAA Women's Basketball Tournaments while part of the Dartmouth program and was part of the Dartmouth coaching staff that almost knocked off Rutgers during their perfect conference season in 2006.
Set your brackets now and follow all the heart-pumping and exciting action of your favorite college teams!
Full bracket here.
UConn Huskies tie own record for most consecutive wins
Published: Monday, March 08, 2010
The University of Connecticut women’s basketball team tied its own NCAA record Sunday night when it beat Syracuse in a 77-41 rout during the Big East Conference Tournament Quarterfinals. The win ties the Division I women's record for consecutive wins set by UConn from 2001-03 and brings the Huskies to just 18 victories away from the overall NCAA Division I record, which was by set by John Wooden and his UCLA Bruins from 1971 to 1974.
“You don’t really think about it while you’re doing it,” Connecticut coach Geno Auriemma said during a news conference. “After it’s over, you want to look back and say, ‘This is what we did.’ I don’t think there’s one day that I’ve gone to practice thinking about how many games we’ve won.”
Tina Charles scored 34 points to lead the Huskies, who are pursuing a second straight national title and seventh overall. Moore helped with 16 while scoring her 2,000 UConn-career point. She is the fastest Husky to do so and the only junior in school history to achieve that milestone.
UConn’s game statistics speak to just how dominant they have been this season. A near-lock to win the NCAA Championship in San Antonio, the Huskies have won by an average margin of 32.8 points, and have, more impressively, won all 70 games by double digits, with their two closest coming by 10 points.
"We are definitely inspired by their legacies," said junior star Maya Moore when asked about teams of UConn past. "We don't necessarily want to break their records, but we don't want to let them down. We are proud to keep the standards they have set and want them to be proud of us.”
Venus Williams defeats Kim Clijsters to win the Billie Jean King Cup
Published: Tuesday, March 02, 2010
Venus Williams defeated Kim Clijsters 6-4, 3-6, 7-5 on Monday night at Madison Square Garden in New York City, to win the BNP Paribas Showdown for the Billie Jean King Cup. The match, a part of the USTA’s Tennis Night in America, featured four of the world’s top female players in a single-elimination, one-set-a-piece semi-final and final match-up. The Women’s Sports Foundation acted as the official charity of the event, in its second year of play at the Garden.
In the first pairing of the night, Clijsters, the 2009 U.S. Open Champion defeated Ana Ivanovic, 2008 French Open winner, 7-5. Down 5-4 in the first and only set, Clijsters rallied from 0-30 to hold serve and win the next two games. Ivanovic won the twelfth game 40-0 to force the thirteen-point tiebreaker, during which Clijsters bested Ivanovic 7-2.
Williams then faced Svetlana Kuznetsova, 2009 French Open winner, in the second match-up, winning 6-4. Kuznetsova took a 2-0 lead but struggled with her serve. Down 15-40 in the final game, the 24-year-old Russian double-faulted on her serve to hand Williams the match.
In the final, Williams broke Clijsters in the first game and then held each of her serves to win the first set. Up 40-0 in the final game, Williams aced to take the set. In the second set, Williams again won the first two games but got sloppy, volleying one break point out of bounds and hitting another past the baseline. Clijsters held her serve for the rest of the set to win. Williams was down 3-4 in the final set when Clijsters hit a volley into the net on break point to tie the set. The pair held their serve the rest of the way until Clijsters, down 15-40, hit the break point past the baseline to hand Williams the win.
After the match, Clijsters had nothing but praise for Williams.
"It's always tough," Clijsters said. "She's been in three different parts of the world in three weeks. It's amazing. It shows what type of person she is. She's disciplined, she's a pro.
"A lot of other players wouldn't even have come, or made it here.”
The match was originally scheduled to showcase Serena Williams, the 2009 Showdown winner, but she withdrew for the event, citing an ongoing leg injury. Her elder sister was happy to take the win and the $400,000 purse.
Foundation Trustee Angela Ruggiero elected to International Olympic Committee’s Athletes’ Commission
Published: Thursday, February 25, 2010
Women’s Sports Foundation Board of Trustee member Angela Ruggiero has been elected to the International Olympic Committee’s (IOC) Athletes’ Commission, Anita L. DeFrantz, Chairwoman of the Election Committee and IOC member, announced in Vancouver on Wednesday.
Following the announcement, DeFrantz stated: "The athletes are at the center of everything we do, and the Commission ensures that their voice is heard in all important decisions taken by the IOC. The two new members can make a valuable contribution to the work of this important body."
Elected by her peers, Ruggiero will serve a term of eight years and will be responsible for acting as the voice of Olympic athlete to the IOC. Commission members are involved in many IOC activities, such as the evaluation of cities seeking to host the Olympic Games, the review of the sports program for the games and anti-doping efforts. The election was held over the past nineteen days in the Olympic Villages in Vancouver and in Whistler.
Ruggiero's election gives the United States three members on the 114-member IOC, along with Anita DeFrantz and Jim Easton. Ruggiero and fellow newly-elected member Britain’s Adam Pengilly will be announced during the Closing Ceremony of the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Winter Games on February 28.
Canada’s Virtue/Moir knock off Russians, win Ice Dancing gold
Published: Tuesday, February 23, 2010
A new guard was introduced Monday night in Vancouver, when ice dancing Canadians Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir claimed their country’s first gold in the sport, knocking off reigning world champions Oksana Domnina and Maxim Shabalin of Russia, who finished with bronze. For only the third time since ice dance became an Olympic sport in 1976, the gold went to someone other than a Russian or Soviet couple. The American duo of two-time U.S. champions Meryl Davis and Charlie White gave the United States back-to-back dance medals for the first time, winning silver. Americans Tanith Belbin and Ben Agosto, silver medalists in Torino, were fourth.
"North America has really been on the verge of something big for several years," Davis said. "To have this experience and be a part of it, we're really so grateful. With the [seven-year-old] international judging system, it allowed a lot of North American teams to thrive . . . and get rewarded it."
The enormity of the occasion was not lost on either Virtue or Moir, who, after the medal ceremony, spoke to reporters about their accomplishment.
"This is our Stanley Cup," Moir said, holding up his gold medal. "What a night. What a week for us. . . . To get up there on the ice and execute like that, I've never had a feeling like that before . . . It's a little bit more fun when you're out there in front of 11,000 crazy Canadian fans."
Though they represented different countries at these Olympic Games, Davis and White and Virtue and Moir all train together in Canton, Mich. The Detroit Free Press has referred to the Canadian team as "Canton-adians," but there was no confusion for the crowd at Pacific Coliseum. They two teams embraced heartily when they received their medals after the competition.
"I think all four of us have kind of dreamed of this for so long, to have it come to reality is so amazing," Davis said.
Said Moir: "Not a single person left. Usually there are about ten people around for the medal ceremony, so what a moment. . . . We worked so hard for this. We're so proud to have gold in Canada."
Australian Torah Bright wins gold in snowboarding halfpipe
Published: Friday, February 19, 2010
Australia's Torah Bright won the gold medal in the Olympic women's halfpipe Thursday, defeating American Hannah Teter during a pressure-packed second run.
Bright fell during her first run of the finals, meaning there was no room for error the second time. She stuck all five of her jumps for a score of 45 points, 2.6 better than Teter, the defending Olympic champion.
"I was like, 'Oh well, can't change that,'" Bright said of her first run. "I got up to the top and I tell myself the same things going into any run, any event. It's just to have fun."
American Kelly Clark, the 2002 champion, won bronze.
The 23-year-old Bright, originally from Cooma, Australia, won without trying the "double cork," a double-flipping jump she had been practicing all year. The jump is increasingly popular among men but has not yet been tried by a woman in competition.
But winning was more important Thursday than making history and Bright was more than good enough to do that on a night when all the other top contenders fell.
That included Torino silver medalist Gretchen Bleiler, who fell once while trying her inverted 720 on the first run, then again on the second when the nose of her board caught the lip and she landed hard then crashed back into the halfpipe.
Bright fell on her first run while she was trying a switch-backside 720, a two-spin jump during which she spends most of her air time with no view of the wall. It's an amazingly difficult trick that most men will not try.
The fall left Bright in last place, which forced her to rush back up the hill and go first in the second round. She dusted herself off, did the same progression of tricks, landed them all, then waited for nearly thirty minutes to see if someone could beat her.
Nobody did, and when Teter closed the night by losing speed toward the end of her trip, giving her no chance to soar high above the pipe, the gold was Bright's.
She shared a long hug with her brother and coach, Ben, and Australia -- a land not known so much for its snow sports -- had its first gold of these Winter Games.
With Screams and Tears, Vonn Wins Downhill
Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Lindsey Vonn vowed to "push through" the pain, and push through it she did — crossing the line in the downhill at the Winter Olympics on one ski to win her first career gold medal.
Overcoming a shin injury and living up to huge expectations, the most decorated female alpine skier in U.S. history tore through the rugged and ragged course Wednesday, winning by more than half a second. Teammate and 2006 giant slalom gold medalist Julia Mancuso finished second, followed by Austria's Elisabeth Gorgl.
Vonn's victory was the first for an American woman in the event, and the 1-2 finish was the first for the U.S. in an alpine event in 26 years.
Hyped as Vancouver's answer to Michael Phelps in Beijing, Vonn — who will compete in all five alpine events — was dealt what could have been a devastating blow to her multiple-medal campaign when she crashed during a training run 10 days before the opening ceremony and bruised her right shin.
But the 25-year-old is known for competing and winning with injuries, so she blazed down the mountain, lifting her right ski at the finish to favor her shin. Seeing her time, she let out a series of screams and fell on her back. When her victory became official after the final skiers raced, Vonn, who has 31 World Cup wins (16 of which are in downhill), met her husband and coach, Thomas Vonn, at the bottom of the course and cried in his arms.
"Awesome. Awesome," he told her. "You enjoy every minute of it. This is what you worked for."
Judge Sylvia Pressler, Who Opened Little League to Girls, Dies at 75
Published: Thursday, February 18, 2010
Sylvia B. Pressler, whose 1973 ruling as a hearings officer with the New Jersey Division on Civil Rights opened the door for girls to play Little League baseball, and who later rose to be the presiding administrative judge of the state’s Appellate Division, died Monday at a family cottage in Sparta, N.J. She was 75.
She was best known for her decision in the Little League case, which she made before she was elevated to the bench. This was in 1973, when discrimination cases in New Jersey were heard by the Division of Civil Rights before government-appointed examiners, of which Sylvia Pressler, then a lawyer, was one.
The previous year, a 12-year-old girl, Maria Pepe, had played three games for a Hoboken Little League team before national Little League officials learned of her participation and threatened to revoke the local league’s charter if she continued to play. The National Organization for Women brought suit on behalf of the girl and all others in New Jersey. Ms. Pressler’s ruling in favor of them was upheld by the New Jersey Appellate Court, and in 1974 Little League Baseball agreed to allow girls to play on its teams and to start a softball division especially for girls.
“The institution of Little League is as American as the hot dog and apple pie,” she wrote in her ruling. “There is no reason why that part of Americana should be withheld from girls.”
Olympic Snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Louie Vito partner with The Century Council
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Olympic Snowboarders Gretchen Bleiler and Louie Vito have partnered with The Century Council, a national nonprofit funded by distillers dedicate to eliminating drunk driving and underage drinking, to create a public service announcement that has begun airing during the Olympic Games. Bleiler and Vito are helping to promote The Century Council's "AskListenLearn" and "Alcohol Don't Mix" programs for young children and teenagers. It was very important for the two Olympians to become positive roll models and to get the message out: "Say Yes to a Healthy Active Lifestyle and No to underage drinking".
At the Olympics, The Century Council will have a presence at the Spyder/U.S. Ski Team House near the Whistler Medals Plaza, promoting Ask Listen Learn and its new interactive game for kids. On February 23rd, the U.S. Ski Team and The Century Council will host “Kids Day,” introducing families to the program and game, and creating an opportunity for them to meet Olympic athletes.
“We’re thrilled about the opportunity to work with an organization like the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding to reach out to the ski and snowboard communities,” said Ralph Blackman, President & CEO of The Century Council. “The Olympic Games create a powerful platform for young people to learn about the importance of saying “yes” to a healthy lifestyle and “no” to underage drinking.”
In addition to the U.S. Ski Team and U.S. Snowboarding partnership, The Century Council is working with Olympic athlete Apolo Anton Ohno in various marketing activities around the Vancouver Olympics. In the past, The Century Council has partnered with professional
Canada’s Maelle Ricker takes Snowboard Cross gold; Jacobellis ousted in Semi’s
Published: Wednesday, February 17, 2010
The home team scored another win Tuesday night in Whistler, as Canadian Maelle Ricker took gold in women’s snowboard cross. Deborah Anthonioz of France finished second for silver; Olivia Nobs of Switzerland won the bronze. Ricker, the 31-year-old from North Vancouver, was the top-ranked rider in the world this year and reveled in the fact she claimed Olympic glory in her hometown. Ricker grew up snowboarding on Cypress and Grouse mountains, having taken up the sport at 12 because she wanted to emulate her older brother Jorli, who was in the stands Tuesday with her parents.
"It's crazy," she said. "Indescribable. I'm going to pinch myself. It's some crazy dream."
Ricker’s results Tuesday were a complete turn-around from her 2006 performance, during which she lost balance and went flying off the course and into the netting. She had to be taken off the course on a stretcher with a concussion. Like American Lindsey Jacobellis, who lost the gold in 2006 when she wobbled a show-off jump in the last ten meters of the race and was passed by a rider much further behind, Ricker had something to prove and did so. Jacobellis wasn’t so lucky.
In the semi-final race, Jacobellis, while in tight quarters with eventual winner Ricker, lost her bearings on a jump, bobbed and skittered to try to regain her balance, but bashed into the outside of a gate. Disqualified for going outside the course lines, she sat down on the snow, hands on her head in disbelief.
"Sometimes you can't control the things that you want to, and you just have those in boardercross sometimes," she said. "I've had a great career and I've been really dominant in it and sometimes I fall into funks where things like that happen."
Czech Republic's Sablikova captures women's 3,000
Published: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Martina Sablikova gave the Czech Republic its first Olympic medal in speedskating with gold in the women's 3,000 meters Sunday, beating the field by more than 2 seconds. With her small, fragile frame and relying on shorter strides, the 22-year-old Sablikova is a variation on the prototype speed skater, who compete more with power than grace.
“She is one in a million," said Canada's Clara Hughes, who finished fifth. "She is a very unique body type."
With a winning time of 4 minutes, 2.53 seconds, Sablikova finished comfortably ahead of the silver medalist, Stephanie Beckert of Germany (4:04.62). Canada once again settled for less-than-gold, a bronze from Kristina Groves (4:04.84).
"I was so nervous because there were three more pairs going," said Sablikova, who sat in the middle of the oval, holding her hands to her mouth as she gazed up at the interval times on the scoreboard. "I was scared."
The Americans didn’t fare as well, who haven’t won a medal in this event since Beth Heiden at the 1980 Lake Placid Games.
Nancy Swider-Peltz Jr. was ninth, Jilleanne Rookard 12th and three-time Olympian Catherine Raney-Norman 17th.
"Taking top ten was my ultimate goal," Swider-Peltz said. "I had the best race of my life."
Americans open Games with a bang, go 1-3 in women’s moguls
Published: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
It was quite an opening to the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games for the United States, as American’s Hannah Kearney and Shannon Bahrke went 1-3 in the women’s moguls Saturday in Whistler, postponing Canada’s first gold-medal-win on home soil for one more day as favorite Jen Heil settled for silver.
"I know Canada hasn't won a gold medal on their home turf, but I have a feeling they'll do it these games," Kearney said. "But I'm pleased that I could stop that for now."
Kearney's win was sweet redemption, who finished a disappointing 22nd in 2006. Unable to overcome the heavy Olympic pressure, Kearney came in as a favorite and was out of the running before she reached full speed.
"It's there because it's part of what got me here today," Kearney said of her 2006 failure. "Everything happens for a reason. If I had known I was going to win a gold medal four years ago, I wouldn't have cried so much."
The 23-year-old Kearney, who hails from New Hampshire, skied a near perfect run in the finals, scoring 26.63 to Heil’s 25.69. She pulled off a back flip on her top jump and a 360-degree spin on her second, her legs held tightly together on both, the perfect example of the form and function judges love to see when they're handing out Olympic gold. She also logged the fastest run time of the field, which only helped in her quest for gold.
Bahrke finished with 25.43 points. The 30-year-old veteran landed the 360 and back-flip jumps that were the most popular combo in the competition, overcame a slight bobble after her first jump and watched her score hold up for a spot on the medal stand.
Slovakia’s Anastazia Kuzmina wins country’s first gold in 7.5 km biathlon sprint
Published: Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Slovakian Anastazia Kuzmina won her country’s first gold medal Saturday at Whistler Park in the women’s 7.5 kilometer biathlon sprint. The only other Slovakian to win a medal at the Winter Games was Radoslav Zidek -- silver in men's snowboardcross at the Turin Games. Ranked 28th on the World Cup circuit, Kuzmina’s win came as a big surprise to everyone and will be sure to garner her some attention as she competes in Tuesday’s 10 kilometer event.
"I need to stay calm and forget what happened in the sprint," Kuzmina said when asked how her first gold will affect the rest of her Games, "and take the next race as a new race.
Kuzmina was not the only surprise medal-winner Saturday. Both silver, taken by German Magdalena Neuner in her Olympic debut, and bronze, won by Marie France’ Dorin, were unexpected by all, even the medalists themselves.
"It's a little bit weird, it's a little bizarre, but it's also awesome," Dorin said.
Sweden's Helena Jonsson was the favorite and World Cup leader, but she finished in 12th despite knocking down all ten targets.
"I have absolutely no idea what happened," said Jonsson, who won the world title in the event last year and has four World Cup wins this season.
USA Softball announces 2009 USA Softball Athlete of the Year
Published: Friday, February 12, 2010
The Amateur Softball Association of America (ASA) and USA Softball announced Friday that Jennie Finch was named the USA Softball Female Athlete of the year for her accomplishments during the 2009 season.
Finch saw time as both a pitcher and at first base on defense and made an impact at the plate on offense. Finch’s hits in the Championship Game of both the Japan Cup and Canada Cup secured the USA victory. She was voted the Japan Cup MVP after she not only threw a one-hitter to defending Olympic Gold Medalist Japan but also drove in the only two runs scored, with a double, to help lead the team to a 2-0 victory. In the Championship game of the Canada Cup with two outs left in the seventh, Finch hit a walk-off single that would push a run across the plate and give the United States a 3-2 victory.
Offensively, Finch was in the Top five in all three events in batting average with a summer average of .447. Her best event was at the World Cup of Softball where Finch hit .500 with a home run and three runs scored. During the summer of 2009, she made an appearance in all 18 games with 17 starts with three home runs and 17 hits. As a pitcher, she was 5-0 with a 0.54 ERA and 43 strikeouts. Finch allowed only two earned runs in 26.0 innings pitched.
"I am completely honored all the way around to not only play for our great country but also to be recognized out of a group of extremely talented athletes. I am surrounded by amazing women and feel blessed to be a part of USA Softball,” said Finch. “I feel privileged to still have the opportunity to play the game I love at this stage in my life. Just to wear USA across my chest is a great honor and I am grateful for the opportunities I continue to have.”
Torah Bright to carry Australian Flag in Vancouver Opening Ceremonies
Published: Friday, February 12, 2010
23-year-old Snowboarder Torah Bright will carry the Australian flag at the Opening Ceremony of the XXI Winter Olympic Games in Vancouver. She will be competing in her second Olympic Games, after finishing fifth in Torino in 2006.
Australian Olympic Team Head Ian Chesterman made the announcement at the official team reception yesterday evening in Vancouver.
“Torah Bright is a terrific athlete and a wonderful leader and is befitting of this honor,” Chesterman said. “What has impressed me the most is that those people I have spoken to about this have all responded the same way – ‘Torah is an outstanding choice.'"
Bright is a three-time World Superpipe champion (06, 07, & 08) and in 2009 she claimed her second Winter X Games title (previously won in 2007). She also took out a World Cup gold medal in Switzerland.
Both the crowd and her teammates cheered when Chesterman made the announcement.
“I don’t really know how to put this feeling into words,” Bright said. “This is an incredible honor and a privilege to be the Australian flag bearer at the Olympic Games and I just wish every one on the Team could carry this flag with me.”
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