Gliders leave Berlin for Birmingham & Worlds
The team will have two full days to acclimatize ahead of their opening game against Mexico on July 8, which will serve as an important time to reflect on the recent 4 Nations tournament in Berlin against Germany, Canada and the Netherlands.
The Gliders experienced mixed results in Berlin, beating reigning world champions Canada en route to the Gold medal game against Germany, but suffering a severe loss in the final. All in all, they will be disappointed with the effort that resulted in only one win from four games during the tournament.
The win against the reigning World Champions is at least an encouraging sign that the Gliders can match it with the best when they are on their game. Kylie Gauci's 19-point contribution was a reminder that the Gliders will be reliant on solid form from their key players in Birmingham.
On the other hand, the Gliders shot poorly in the remainder of their games; their 47-66 loss against the Netherlands in Game 2 of the 4 Nations Tournament is particularly concerning given that the two teams are scheduled to meet again on July 11 in the round-robin stage of the tournament.
The Gliders will be hoping that they can take positives out of their mixed performance in Berlin and enter the World Championship in Birmingham as a stronger team.
Should the Gliders advance through to the knockout stages of the tournament, there is a chance that they will meet the German side, who are looking the team to beat at the World Championships. As well as winning the 4 Nations Tournament in Berlin, the Germans defeated Australia 3-2 in a friendly series in Victoria last month.
To follow the progress of the Gliders’ World Championships campaign in Birmingham, visit the 2010 IWBF World Championships Website.
Gliders World Championships Schedule
Thursday 8 July: 10:00 Australia v Mexico (7.00pm AEST)
Saturday 10 July: 12:15 Australia v Great Britain (9.15pm AEST)
Sunday 11 July: 18:30 Australia v Netherlands (3.00am Monday 11 July AEST)
Monday 12 July: 12:15 Australia v Canada (9.15pm AEST)
Wednesday 14 July: Quarter Finals
Thursday 15 July: Semi Finals
Friday 16 July: Classification Matches
Saturday 17 July: Medal Matches
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