Sport
Fun and games
By Barry Rollings

Edition 4909, 31 May, 2007
 
COURT IN THE ACTION: LACW Karen Herbert from Canberra sets the pace in a basketball game against the USA during the Arafura Games,
Photo by LS Helen Frank
 
Inset: CPL Andrew Peate from HMAS Kuttabul takes a shot at goal during the men’s game against the USA.
Photo by LS Helen Frank
 
Gold just eluded many ADO teams at the Arafura Games but they collected a good swag of minor medals.

In men’s shooting events, FSGT David Gay from RAAF Base Townsville finished second with 824 points, which combined with other team members to take the team gold with an aggregate of 2466.

The ADO took silver and bronze in the 25m men’s standard pistol teams event, with FSGT Gay in the second-placed team with 63 points.

SGT Greg Fraser from RAAF Base Amberley, CPL Mark Patton from RAAF Base Edinburgh and CPL Peter Reinke from RAAF Base Tindal won the men’s golf team, gross and net events with aggregates of 914 and 871.

The women’s team, which included SQNLDR Debbie Baker from RAAF Base East Sale, won the gross and net events with aggregates of 1045 and 901.

Male bowlers took the men’s singles gold medal, silver in the men’s teams event and a bronze in the men’s fours.

In cycling, FLTLT Damon Stefani from RAAF Base Edinburgh took bronze in the men’s criterium behind FLTLT Chris Loynes from RAAF Base Darwin. FLTLT Stefani and WGCDR Paul Connor from Canberra finished first and second in the elite men’s road race.

In women’s soccer, the ADO beat Enga of PNG 1-0 after it was 0-0 at half-time, and then lost 2-1 to Malaysia.

It was a case of deja vu when ADO met and beat Enga 4-2 in the semi-finals before settling for silver after losing the final, once again to Malaysia 2-0.

The women’s basketball team was undefeated in the first three rounds, beating PNG 65-42, Madang Province 100-72 and Northern Territory 63-48, but lost a close semi-final 76-61 to eventual gold medallist, the USA.

In men’s basketball, the ADO men lost a thriller 77-76 to the Australian Indigenous team, with the decider coming in the final minutes, and also lost their semi-final to the USA 88-43 to end up in fourth.

In women’s netball, the gold medal went to PNG, with the ADO taking bronze against Malaysia.