Shimmin glad to be on Aiken's team

NETBALL: Kate Shimmin is rapt to have made the move to Brisbane - and out of harm's way as a defender trying to oppose the might of Firebirds goal shooter Romelda Aiken.

The 24-year-old ex-Adelaide Thunderbird recalled an incident during a game last season when the two-time ANZ Championship MVP left her worse for wear.

"I got my very first black eye from Romelda," Shimmin told News Regional Media ahead of her debut with the Firebirds in Saturday's Super Netball opener in Brisbane.

"She actually split my eye open."

Shimmin, who still sports a scar from the clash, admits she was quick to remind her new teammate when joining the Firebirds late last year.

Caslick crowned Women's Seven Player of the year by World Rugby

SHE has a gold medal and the admiration of her teammates to prove it but now Charlotte Caslick’s position as the best female sevens player in the world is confirmed — even if it’s a little embarrassing for her.

The 21-year old on Monday was named Women’s Sevens Player of the Year by World Rugby.

“It’s hard as a team player to get individual awards but it’s pretty awesome,’’ said modest Caslick.

“I actually think there are other girls in my team more deserved than me. I would have voted for them first.’

The award ended an unsuccessful run by the Australian in attempting to win the most prestigious award in sevens rugby.

Caslick had twice previously been nominated but been edged out for the honour.

Olympic sevens star Charlotte Caslick nominated for player of the year award

Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick is the only Australian-based nomination for this year’s World Rugby Awards.

The Rio Games champion has been nominated for the world women’s sevens player of the year.

New Zealand’s leading 2015-16 world series try-scorer Portia Woodman and England captain Emily Scarratt will also vie for the gong.

Caslick was a stand-out in Australia’s 2016 Olympics campaign which culminated with a 24-17 victory over New Zealand in the final in August.

The 21-year-old was also recently named Australia’s women’s sevens player of the year.

Samsung joins forces with Questacon & Leo Burnett for new education campaign featuring Charlotte Caslick

Samsung Electronics Australia, with the help of Questacon, Leo Burnett and a few Aussie celebs, has launched an educational resource designed to show students how skills in science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) are becoming increasingly relevant across all industries and future career paths.

‘Creators Wanted’ has been launched across Australia through the release of video content conceptualised and developed by Leo Burnett, which is designed to capture the attention of students and drive uptake of STEM subjects at schools and universities.

The videos feature Aussie rugby sevens player and Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick testing out a self-retrieving ball, Showpo founder Jane Lu revealing a colour-changing dress and former MasterChef contestant Reynold Poernomo cooking up an edible 3D-printed croquembouche.

Gold Coaster Mackenzie Arnold will play with Brisbane Roar in the W-League season

STAR goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold is returning home to Queensland to continue her W-League career with the Brisbane Roar.

The 22-year-old, born on the Gold Coast, said it would be great to be back playing soccer in her home state after a W-League career that began with Perth Glory in 2011.

Arnold was yesterday ­confirmed as a member of the Roar squad preparing for the first W-League fixture of the season, against Sydney on November 5.

“As a Queenslander, it’s an honour to sign for the ­Brisbane Roar Football Club,” she said.

“I’m really excited about the new W-League season and can’t wait to play Sydney on November 5.”

Olympic gold medallist Charlotte Caslick returns to Brisbane State High School

THE golden girl of women’s rugby sevens returned to where it all started last week with one thing to say to ­students at Brisbane State High School: “Hard work is rewarded.”

Charlotte Caslick - Olympic Rugby 7's Highlights

Australia's Olympic champion women to join Sydney Sevens event in 2017

Australia’s Olympic champion women’s team will play alongside their male counterparts for the first time on home soil in an expanded Sydney Sevens event in 2017. After the inaugural men’s event in Sydney last season, the women’s side will join a three-day tournament from February 3 to February 5 at Allianz Stadium.

Gold medallist Charlotte Caslick said it was a huge boost for the sport following the team’s success in Rio. “It will be awesome to play in front of your home crowd. There’s nothing like playing in front of your family and friends,” she said. “We can keep building the momentum that we started this year.”

Rugby gold medallist Charlotte Caslick inspires Adelaide girl

AUSTRALIAN rugby gold medallist Charlotte Caslick has sent an inspirational message to a Southern Suburbs player encouraging her to stick with the sport.

Grace Bridge, 12, will spend next year on the sidelines after being told she is too old to continue playing in a boy’s team and too young for the senior women’s league.

But her belief has been restored after the Southern Times Messenger reached out to Australia’s Olympic gold medal winning women’s rugby sevens team last week.

Scrum-half Caslick, who is Grace’s favourite player, replied with some words of wisdom for the budding star.

The New Zealand sledge that spurred Aussie women to victory

ACCORDING to Aussie sevens star Charlotte Caslick, a pre-match sledge from New Zealand coa Sean Hora that Australia didn’t like the tough stuff couldn’t have been more wrong – or perfect.

“He said we don’t like physical battles, but we f***ing love them,” Caslick said.

“They played into our hands.”

The Olympic Games and rugby sevens : a match made in heaven

Rugby sevens seems to fit the Olympics. The sport has, to a greater or lesser degree, the physicality of judo, the skill of rhythmic gymnastics, the athleticism of the 400m dash, the aggression of sprint cycling, and the gut-busting endurance of rowing. It’s fast and funky and fun. And it’s ready to bust out all over.

Sevens athletes range from amateur to semi-professional. They are among the fittest people at the Games. They mix sub-optimal endurance with high-octane effort. They need mental clarity under high fatigue. They train so hard they vomit. They run and run and run.

Rio Olympics gold a turning point for women's rugby say sevens coach Tim Walsh

If there was a moment that defines women's rugby for Tim Walsh, it came in a sevens pool match in Rio, when Australia's Charlotte Caslick tackled the USA's Victoria Folayan in full flight.

"Charlotte Caslick ran 70 metres across field and just drilled this girl into touch," Walsh said. "And as she was running across her braids were flicking around in the wind, she had ribbons in her hair, she had pink boots on, she was tanned up.

Cyclist Annette Edmondson finally meets Brazilian sponsor child of 10 years

IT’S the first time Annette Edmondson was happy to let the tears flow - and it had nothing to do with her Rio competition.

The Australian cyclist fought back the emotions after missing a medal on the Olympic track this week but yesterday they flowed freely when she finally met her Brazilian sponsor child of 10 years.

“We couldn’t see Vanessa at first because she’s quite small and it was crazy there were so many kids chanting and singing,” Edmondson said.

“Then I saw her and it was nice to see how excited she was to see us, I was okay until I saw her mum and she was in tears and then I got emotional.

“There were lots of kids on bikes so we rode about a kilometre with them to the school and the kids were doing a big performance - lots of singing, music, poetry, dance, martial arts, it was really nice.”

Rio 2016 : Cyclists may sacrifice world titles in bid to improve at Olympics

Rio de Janeiro: An Olympic fail in the velodrome could see Australian cyclists sacrifice world titles they have traditionally coveted in a bid to turn the tide on the track in Tokyo.

A proposal sure to jar with some would see Australia, which missed its medal target by more than half in a demoralising six days on the track, follow cycling superpower Great Britain which openly priorities Olympic success and considers anything else a bonus.

Proud parents of the gold-winning women's rugby sevens team pledge to get matching tattoos celebrating their daughters achievements

he proud parents of the gold-winning women's rugby sevens team have pledged to get matching tattoos to celebrate their daughters' achievements.

Australia's victorious rugby team celebrated their emphatic win against New Zealand with family and friends, partying in the city of Rio through the night.

But come morning, with just two hours sleep under her belt, rugby gold medallist Alicia Quirk remembered an ink pact made with a number of the squad's parents. 

Competitive and driven rugby sevens star Charlotte Caslick was destined for success

CHARLOTTE Caslick has stamped herself as the golden girl of Australian rugby sevens.

The Brisbane State High School graduate was named Player of the Tournament for Australia after leading the Pearls to the sport’s inaugural Olympic gold medal early on Tuesday morning (AEST).

Australia beat New Zealand 24-17 to claim gold, with Caslick a star in the victory.

The 21-year-old won the award for the tournament’s best player after scoring seven tries in six games.

Olympic women's rugby star : Gold wasn't always an option.

Rio de Janeiro (CNN)She just earned her notch in Olympic history, but Australian rugby star Charlotte Caslick didn't always think a career as an athlete was even possible.

Caslick is part of the Australian women's rugby team, which beat New Zealand this week to win gold at the Olympic debut of rugby sevens.

"It's pretty special. It hasn't really sunk in," Caslick said. "I'm sure in 20 years we'll look back on (this moment) and see how what we did changed women's sport."

Rio 2016 : Crash ruins Olympic cycling dream

Rio de Janeiro: Rocked and seemingly ruined by a crash on the eve of their Rio campaign, Australia's women's team pursuit unit – world record holders in the 4000m discipline last year – will leave the Olympics without a medal.

Melissa Hoskins, who was taken to hospital in an ambulance five days ago after all but one of the five-woman squad tumbled heavily in training, was patched up and did not miss a race after an eleventh hour fitness test before qualifying Thursday.

The Australian womens rugby team is the feel-good story of the Rio Olympic Games

What on earth was going on at the boarding house of St Ignatius, on Tuesday morning last? Normally at 8am, the dining room would be filled with the human version of a horde of locusts, ravenously wolfing down cereal, toast, eggs and bacon, whatever they could get their hungry teenage hands on. But, no, the dining room is deserted. And so are the playing fields. And the basketball court. Not a soul in the cricket nets. None of them in the library and ... And there!

Some cries in the distance. Getting louder now.

Tassie cyclists Amy Cure and Georgia Baker show their mettle in Rio

COURAGEOUS Australians cyclists — including Tasmania’s Amy Cure and Georgia Baker — have the chance to ride for a medal this weekend after defying bumps and bruises to finish in the top four of qualifying in the women’s team pursuit.

After a horror crash in training sent the members of our women’s pursuit team flying — leaving teammate Melissa Hoskins writhing in agony — our girls have stepped up in the competition proper.

Cure, 23, and Baker, 21, were shocked, bruised and had “track burn”. Australian officials said the girls were shaken but not stirred.