i watched the final of the champions trophy 2009 held in sydney this morning. argentina and australia played to a 0-0 draw after extra time. argentina's no8 and captain luciana aymar was simply a delight to watch, the way she played her way out of trouble, the way no one seemed to be able to take the ball away from her.
the final saw her set the new record for appearances in the champs trophy. perhaps it was also fitting that she was the one who took the last penalty to win it for argentina, thus ensuring a successful defence of the title.
i can't believe that australia, despite finishing second will be relegated from the champs trophy. to me, it doesnt make sense at all. of course, they have done all the math, they have a system of working out who plays in next year's edition.
england finished 6th, but because they are the hosts next year, they are assured of a place. so you would expect the 5th-placed team to be relegated, which is china. amazingly, it emerged that china would stay as long as they beat england in the 5th/6th playoff. and when that happens, as long as australia doesn't beat argentina in the final, australia would be relegated. i think if australia were to become champions, then germany would be relegated. there is a points system, a ranking system at work here, surely. but it must be very bitter for the australians. i think it is ridiculous, it is a shame.
but after the game, the australians were smiling and basking in the adoration of the home crowd. they are a young team, the captain madonna blyth is 23 and the player of the tournament. she was somehow not euphoric while receiving the award, coming across to me as meek even. it was almost as if she was surprised, guilty that she was upstaging lucha aymar. it is just such a shame that they won't be playing in england next year.
i also watched the qualifying tournament for the volleyball world champs 2010 in japan. anna baranska has longer hair, a headband, and is playing like anna baranska again. so the usual suspects will be europe's representatives: russia, italy, serbia, holland, turkey, poland, germany, croatia and czech republic.
i somehow hope the tour de france will be over quickly. it is taking too much attention.
the final saw her set the new record for appearances in the champs trophy. perhaps it was also fitting that she was the one who took the last penalty to win it for argentina, thus ensuring a successful defence of the title.
i can't believe that australia, despite finishing second will be relegated from the champs trophy. to me, it doesnt make sense at all. of course, they have done all the math, they have a system of working out who plays in next year's edition.
england finished 6th, but because they are the hosts next year, they are assured of a place. so you would expect the 5th-placed team to be relegated, which is china. amazingly, it emerged that china would stay as long as they beat england in the 5th/6th playoff. and when that happens, as long as australia doesn't beat argentina in the final, australia would be relegated. i think if australia were to become champions, then germany would be relegated. there is a points system, a ranking system at work here, surely. but it must be very bitter for the australians. i think it is ridiculous, it is a shame.
but after the game, the australians were smiling and basking in the adoration of the home crowd. they are a young team, the captain madonna blyth is 23 and the player of the tournament. she was somehow not euphoric while receiving the award, coming across to me as meek even. it was almost as if she was surprised, guilty that she was upstaging lucha aymar. it is just such a shame that they won't be playing in england next year.
i also watched the qualifying tournament for the volleyball world champs 2010 in japan. anna baranska has longer hair, a headband, and is playing like anna baranska again. so the usual suspects will be europe's representatives: russia, italy, serbia, holland, turkey, poland, germany, croatia and czech republic.
i somehow hope the tour de france will be over quickly. it is taking too much attention.
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