Inspired to get active
THESE Commonwealth Games have already been Tasmania’s most successful — and kids right across the state are being inspired by the gold medal performances on show.
Among those drawing inspiration from the athletes’ efforts on the Gold Coast are these seven Sacred Heart College students.
Lola Lester says swimming has been her pick of the events.
“I would compete in the swimming ... because people tell me I’m really good at it and I really enjoy it,” she said.
Angus Cracknell said: “I’ve been watching the ... weightlifting because there was an ex-Sacred Heart student (Kaity Fassina) who’s got a silver medal.”
CAMERON Smith’s maiden top-five finish at the Masters has inspired him to join the list of Australian winners headlined by Greg Norman at the famous Harbour Town Golf Links.
The 24-year-old Queenslander broke into the top 40 golfers on the world rankings for the first time courtesy of a final-round 66 that earned him a tie for fifth at Augusta National last week. A share of fourth at the 2015 US Open is Smith’s best result at the majors, but Smith says he is just as chuffed at last week’s result given the Masters’ prestige.
“I finished top four at the 2015 US Open, but the Masters is the big one everyone wants to play well in,” world No.39 Smith said.
“I’m really proud of the way I finished and definitely more confident about going to Augusta next year.”
Smith now turns his atten- tion to the US PGA Tour’s RBC Heritage tournament in South Carolina, where Australian golfers Graham Marsh, Norman, Peter Lonard and Aaron Baddeley have lifted the trophy.
The narrow layout at Harbour Town has favoured shorter hitters, which is good news for Smith given he is mid-range on the US Tour for driving distance with an average of 272m.
However, the Brisbane native’s sharp iron play and wedge game will bode well around the South Carolina course, with Smith ranking 24th on tour for strokes gained around the greens.
Marc Leishman is the highest-ranked Aussie in the RBC Heritage field and will take positives from his ninth in the Masters. Queenslander John Senden returns to the US Tour, having taken a year off to spend time with teen son Jacob while he had treatment for a brain tumour.