Special Sub-Topic: Great Moments in Aussie Sport Authored by: samo Sub-topic of: Australia

Who scored the winning goal for Australia in the 1999 netball World Cup final against New Zealand, with only 1 second left on the clock?

Sharelle McMahon. In my opinion, THE greatest and most exciting moment in Aussie sport.

Before Cathy Freeman won the 400 metres at the Sydney 2000 Olympics, it had been a while since Australia had won a track gold medal at an Olympics. Who was Australia's last Track and Field gold medalist before Cathy?

Debbie Flintoff-King. Debbie won gold in the 400m hurdles at the 1988 Soeul Olympics.

Cricket: in 1996, the West Indies cricket team made another tour of Australia and naturally played in the World Series of one-dayers. On the New Year's Eve match at the SCG, Australia needed 4 runs off the final delivery to snatch victory. Which Aussie batsman stepped up and hit the winning boundary?

Michael Bevan. Great moment in Aussie cricket, it livened up what was shaping up to be a bit of a boring summer of cricket (or cri-cri, as I like to call it).

Which sporting event did David Hill (former President of Soccer Australia) describe as the 'saddest day in Australian sport, any sport, in this country'?

Losing to Iran in the World Cup qualifier. I was at that game with 4 mates and 82,017 other people. It is one of the few times I've unashamable cried in public. (The game was played Saturday 29th November 1997, at the Melbourne Cricket Ground: after a 1-1 draw in Iran the previous weekend, Australia were leading 2-0 well into the 2nd half. Iran equalised with 2 quick goals, and Australia were eliminated on the away-goals {rule;} away goals count double when a 2-leg tie ends in a draw. Australia and France, the eventual winners of the 1998 World Cup, were the only undefeated teams during the qualifying stages. France were also undefeated in the finals. -ed)

Who was the first Australian race horse to win {$1.0m} in prizemoney on Australian soil?

Kingston Town. After taking out an unprecedented three WS Cox Plates in a row (1980, 1981, 1982), of course he won over a million.

In what has been described ever since as the 'greatest Rugby League grand final in history' the 1989 grand final was won by the Canberra Raiders in extra-time. With only minutes of regular time remaining, which Canberra veteran crossed for the try that sent the game into extra-time?

'Chicka' Ferguson. 'Picked up by Daley, Daley gives it to Ferguson, Ferguson goes for the line ... he's done it - he's there!' There's nothing better than Ray Warren's commentry to lighten up any sporting event.

According to many Aussie Rules historians, one of the most memorable sporting moments was the Preliminary Final of 1997, when St Kilda defeated reigning premiers North Melbourne. This match was won mid-way through the second quarter when Steven Sziller put a hip-and-shoulder on which Kangaroos champion, forcing him to leave the game with a dislocated shoulder?

Corey McKernan. In my opinion, one of the best sporting moments of my life, I continually replay that moment on the old VCR, it's a classic.

Basketball: who has won more NBL MVPs than any other player in Australian basketball history?

Andrew Gaze. Gazey is a legend. I don't agree much for basketball, but I had no objections with him being assigned Australian Captain for the Sydney Olympics.

According to reports which filtered out after the event, which Aussie sport legend declined the invitation to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony of the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, leaving the door open for Cathy Freeman to light the flame?

Sir Donald Bradman. The Don. What a bloke. He makes Allan 'Captain Grumpy' Border look like a happy game-show host. The old guys gotta lighten up a bit.

Australian Rules Football: South Melbourne Swans FC moved north of the border to Sydney for the 1982 season. Who was the first Swans player to win the Brownlow Medal after the relocation?

Greg Williams. He shared 1986 Brownlow Medal honors with Hawthorn's Robert DiPierdomenico.

Which Wallaby was voted 'Player of the Tournament' in the 1991 Rugby World Cup?

David Campese. Michael Jones won that award at the first World Cup in 1987, and Jonah Lomu in 1995.

Between these four Aussie golfers, they have won 9 total golf majors with 8 British Opens, plus 1 U.S. PGA. Which of these won the U.S. PGA?

Wayne Grady. Peter Thompson won the British Open 5 times, Norman won it twice and Baker-Finch once. Strangely, Norman has never won a USA major, he blew a 6 shot lead at the Masters, and was beaten by a shot from the bunker at the US Open and by a 30ft putt at the US PGA.

Which female Aussie squash player didn't lose a single match for over 18 years?

Heather Mackay & Mackay & Heather McKay & McKay. The legendary Heather MacKay was born Heather Blundell in 1941 in Quenabeyan. She was the most successful female squash player of all time. From 1962 to 1977 she won 16 consecutive British Open titles. She was beaten only twice in her 20 year career (1959 to 1979), once in a NSW State championship in 1959 and once in the final of the Scottish Championship in 1960. She retired in 1979 after losing a set for the first time in 5 years during the British Open.

Which Aussie billiards player was so good that they needed to change the rules of the game to stop his domination?

Walter Lindrum & Lindrum. Walter Albert Lindrum was born in 1898 in Kalgoorlie, Western Australia. Although naturally right-handed he played billiards with his left hand (he lost the top joint of his right index finger in a childhood accident). Between 1929-1933 Lindrum dominated the English billiards scene, sometimes conceding up tp 7000 points start to his opponent. His record break of 4137, made in 175 minutes consisted of about 1900 consecutive scoring shots. The rules of the game were altered on several occasions to try to curb Lindrum's cannon play.

During the 1997 Melbourne Cup a spectator jumped the fence and ran onto the track as the horses were coming down the final straight. What happened then?

He was dragged away by the police and banned from returning. Unfortunatley, he was just dragged away by police. It would have been so much better if one of the other things happened. The same man also invaded the pitch at the Australia v Iran World Cup qualifier in November 1997, and has also invaded the NSW State Parliment.