FOUR-time Australian Top Fuel champion Darren Morgan is poised to take the win this weekend at the 50^th Winternationals international drag racing clash at Queensland Raceway, Ipswich.
 
After running his personal best at Nitro Thunder with a 4.56 second run at 329mph, Mr Morgan said he was determined to push his car to the limits for the final round of the 2017 season.
 
“Currently sitting in second place we are want to put on a spectacular show and give it everything we have got,” Mr Morgan said.
 
“We will be competing against some of the best from both the USA and Australia so we will be pulling out all of the stops.”
 
Darren Morgan said he was looking forward to competing against a full field of Top Fuel, this includes Wayne Newby, Damien Harris, Anthony Begley, Terry Sainty, Rachelle Splatt, Peter Xiberras and USA driver Larry Dixon driving for Rapisarda Autosport International.
 
“The quality of drivers this weekend is world class, expect to be blown away with some of the quickest passes Australia will have ever seen," Mr Morgan said.
 
The 50^th Winternationals at Willowbank Raceway is on from Thursday June 8 to Sunday June 11.
 
Top Fuel is set to run Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
 
Mr Morgan is also set to make some noise throughout June, showcasing his AEG Powertools Top Fuel Dragster at five Bunnings Warehouses.
 
The first stop is Toowoomba this Tuesday, followed by Stafford on June 14, Alexandria on June 20, West Gosford on June 21 and Narellan on June 22.
 
Locals will get the chance to smell the nitro when the 10,000 horsepower vehicle fires up at each location.
 
“We are really looking forward to showcasing one of the quickest vehicles on the planet,” Mr Morgan said.
 
“Sitting in the dragster for a start up is a once in a life time opportunity so make sure you grab some AEG Powertools to go in the chance to win.”

Facebook.com/TopFuel

DMRis sponsored by AEG Powertools and Shannons Insurance, with their associate sponsors.

A RESEARCH project focused on helping basketballers to bounce back from hamstring and adductor injuries – the two most common tendon injuries in the sport – is expected to help other Australian athletes.

Researchers from the University of Newcastle (UON) have taken the lead on the research and are working alongside the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Basketball Australia to improve injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies for athletes. 

The study – astutely named the HAMI Study to investigate Hamstring and Adductor Myotendinous Injury risk factors in basketball – is a collaboration between UON, AIS, Basketball Australia’s Centre of Excellence, La Trobe University and Charles Sturt University.

The HAMI study has received more than $390,000 in funding from a strategic partnership between the National Basketball Association (NBA) and General Electric (GE) Healthcare which aims to address injuries affecting NBA players and pass those findings on to everyday athletes

UON researcher Suzi Edwards and her team would study top male Australian basketball players over three years to determine the different biomechanical factors involved in muscle injuries.

“Hamstring and adductor injuries are the two leading myotendinous injuries in basketball players, but athletes of any sport are susceptible to injuring their thigh muscles when they attempt to suddenly slow down or speed up their running speed,” Dr Edwards said.

“Our findings will improve the understanding of risk factors of injury and re-injury in basketball and will be applicable to other sports such as soccer and football that have a high incidence and reoccurrence rate of these injuries.”

AIS co-investigator and senior sports physiotherapist, Mick Drew, said as the country’s leading sports training institute the AIS was working collaboratively on the project and being at the forefront of developing new methods to optimise athletic recovery.

“Injuries affect both the long term health of athletes and they also interrupt their athletic careers and goals,” Mr Drew said. “By working with Basketball Australia and University of Newcastle, we have the potential to turn around the rate of injury and to minimise the same injuries reoccurring.”

www.ausport.gov.au/ais

www.newcastle.edu.au

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RUGBY aficionados call it ‘the game they play in heaven’ and if that’s the case then the rugby angels will be alighting in Brisbane in February 2017.

The inaugural Brisbane Global Tens tournament and the two-day sporting bonanza will bring some of the world’s best rugby players to Brisbane. 

Reinforcing the city’s reputation as a premier sporting event destination, the Brisbane Global Tens tournament will bring 300-plus players from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, France, Japan and Samoa together for a gladiatorial spectacle expected to attract fans from throughout Australia and overseas.

Billed as two days of ‘rugby heaven’ with $1.6 million in prize money up for grabs, the exclusive 10-a-side competition will be played at the world-class Suncorp Stadium, which is conveniently to the Caxton St dining and entertainment precinct.

Every Australian and New Zealand Super Rugby franchise will participate, along with four invitational teams from the four other nations involved.

Brisbane  Mayor Graham Quirk said the new tournament demonstrated Brisbane’s growing desirability as a location to host high-profile international sporting events.

“Our 2022 New World City Action Plan aims to deliver major drawcard events for Brisbane and the new tournament fits that bill perfectly,” Cr Quirk said.

“This is an elite competition in which traditional rivalries will be played out in what many consider Australia and New Zealand’s best rugby stadium – Suncorp.

“An event like the Brisbane Global Tens is not just a boon for sports fans though. It provides a financial boost to our hotels, local businesses, retailers and tourism attractions as well as a sense of community spirit as people gather to watch the games at the stadium and elsewhere.

“We welcome all the football codes in Brisbane, but rugby has really taken centre stage when it comes to international sporting contests here lately. In June we had the Wallabies play England and on September 10 they will take on South Africa at Suncorp Stadium.

“Along with the Brisbane International and the World Science Festival Brisbane, the Brisbane Global Tens will be a fantastic kick-off to major events hosted by our city in 2017.”

The Global Tens concept is expected to herald an exciting new era for the game in an abbreviated form of rugby that will be fast and furious; sitting between Sevens and the full 15-a-side version.

“It’s the best of both worlds, offering the pace and freedom of Sevens with the physical intensity and high-quality forward and backline play of the traditional game,” Cr Quirk said.

“The tournament marks the first time Suncorp Stadium has hosted a major rugby tournament over two days and I expect all the games will be sell-outs.

“For local fans it’s a not-to-be-missed opportunity to see the Queensland Reds take on some of the best teams in the world.”

The Brisbane Global Tens tournament will be delivered by Duco Events supported by Tourism and Events Queensland and Brisbane Marketing.

www.brisbaneglobaltens.com

www.visitbrisbane.com.au/globaltens.

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THE ADELAIDE Crows AFL club is partnering with the Federal Government to deliver its Ready Set Crow Project to help Indigenous children from remote South Australian communities attend school in Adelaide and develop pathways to further education.

Adelaide Football Club CEO, Andrew Fagan, said the club was thrilled to be able to extend its reach in the Anangu Pitjantjatjara Yankunytjatjara (APY) Lands and Far West Coast regions. 

“The Ready Set Crow Project commenced last year as an intensive mentoring program designed to engage youth, provide support to families and students and encourage educational pursuits in partnership with the Wiltja Residential Program,” Mr Fagan said.

“Led by Crows legend Andrew McLeod and his wife Rachael, the programme has seen great results so the club is delighted to be able to expand its work in this space thanks to the support of the Australian Government.”

Ready Set Crow is funded until 2017 and will be delivered in partnership with the Australian and SA Governments, schools, key education stakeholders in the delivery regions and Remote School Attendance Strategy (RSAS) providers for the APY Lands and Far West Coast regions.

Indigenous Affairs Minister Nigel Scullion said the government would invest $300,000 in the Ready Set Crow Project to build on the success of the RSAS in South Australia.

As a result of this investment, the Ready Set Crow Project will provide mentoring and support to primary school students in years 5, 6 and 7 from remote communities across SA.

Through the project, the Adelaide Football Club will provide mentoring and support and collaborate with Wiltja Residential to provide scholarship opportunities.

The Ready Set Crow Project involves Adelaide Football Club staff directly engaging with students and their families to promote opportunities for the students to further their education and access boarding school facilities.

Mr Scullion said attending school gave children the best chance for a good start in life.

“The Coalition Government’s RSAS program is helping to get more Indigenous children in South Australia to school, which is vital to opening up higher education and employment opportunities later in life,” Mr Scullion said.

“The Ready Set Crow Project provides students with opportunities to attend school in Adelaide so they can continue their secondary education and build pathways for further education.”

www.afc.com.au

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