Day four of the 2013 AUG had some surprise victories for Sydney Uni and some agonising defeats. Thursday’s competition is equal to what the AFL call the premiership quarter. It is the day that many team sports fight their way into the semi-finals and gold medal play-offs, while other teams fight off the threat of relegation from Division One.
However this day belonged to, once again, the Sydney University Athletics Club (SUAC). The athletics team have been crowned men’s champions, women’s champions and overall athletics champions of the 2013 AUG. The team headed into day four full of confidence and ready to serve up another dominant performance.
Josh Ralph carved up the 800m final to romp home for the gold, with Jack Hiscox in second place. Jenny Blundell took home the 800m in the women’s race.
Amongst many other highlights of the day, the men’s 4x400m relay was, in the words of Dean Gleeson, Director of Athletics, “one of the best races I have ever seen at an AUG” – and Gleeson has been to over 15 AUG’s as a competitor and coach. The men were 20m behind a stacked Melbourne team at the last change, then in steps Josh Ralph who starts to mow down the front runner. Within 10 metres of the finish line ‘Ralphy’ passes the Melbourne man whilst waving to the crowd and crossing the line in first position. This team and club continue their historic run of form and re-write record books meet after meet.
In other sports today there were some surprise results for Sydney Uni. Our normally reliable Rugby 7s side felt the brunt of a fired up University of NSW (UNSW) side twice today. The boys will be playing off for fifth and sixth tomorrow.
The men’s and women’s badminton teams continue to impress and are both on track for medals on Friday. The women are already into the gold medal play-off due to a gutsy win over Monash in the morning. The men need to get past Melbourne in their semi-final first thing Friday morning to be in the competition for the gold.
Another sport of equal gender success is water polo. Both men’s and women’s teams are into the gold medal match on Friday. The men took down our friends down the road, University of Technology Sydney (UTS), in their semi-final whilst the women had an extra time victory over UTS students 7-6.
Our women’s football team continue to blow away their competition with a 12-0 win over, yet again, UTS in their semi-final to book their place in the gold medal match. It has been an absolute clinic from the girls this week.
The cricketers obliged to the theme of the day and completed the UTS whitewash by sweeping them aside by eight runs in their semi-final. Our boys will now play UNSW in tomorrow’s gold medal playoff.
Other sports that have made the gold medal match tomorrow are women’s basketball, women’s touch and mixed touch.
We also have men’s tennis who can still qualify for the gold medal match should they get past a very strong Melbourne side. The women’s volleyball side also have a chance to qualify for the gold medal match after they meet our semi-final partners, UTS.
There are also some bronze medals to capture in tomorrow’s play. Men’s basketball will be looking to get past a solid Griffith Uni side. The handball side will be looking to get some just rewards for a very fine effort this week when they play, yet again, UTS. The men’s touch team will be playing off for the bronze against a very competitive Monash outfit.
The netball girls have a great chance to qualify for Div One next year if they can get past a traditionally strong UTS side in their semi-final. The girls put on a couple of thrashings today with sound defeats of both Edith Cowan and Southern Cross.
Both softball and handball will be battling it out for the last medal in their respective games. Ultimate need to overcome a young James Cook University side, whilst the softballer’s will be in a must-win battle against Melbourne.
To stay up to date throughout the final day of competition please check the AUS website here http://www.unisport.com.au/Events/Results/Pages/2013AUGResults.aspx