The Matildas have impressed a nation with their historic exploits on the Women’s World Cup.
Tonight they’ll look to go one step additional after they face England within the semi-finals.
But already they’ve written their names into the historical past books and delivered one of many biggest sporting moments this nation has ever seen.
Goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold was the celebrity because the Aussies defeated world quantity 5 France in an exciting penalty shootout on Saturday night time, earlier than teenager Cortnee Vine buried the successful penalty.
It’s a second that can dwell lengthy within the reminiscence, and earns a rightful place among the many most iconic moments in Aussie sporting historical past.
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But what else needs to be on the record? Looking again into the previous, the America’s Cup win in 1983 – the place Australia ended the USA’s 132-year successful streak with an all-time comeback victory – was a cultural phenomenon.
When it involves this century, we’ve picked out our most iconic moments beneath (and within the video above!)
Fingers crossed the Matildas can ship one other second for the historical past books in opposition to England.
2000: Cathy Freeman claims 400m gold on the Sydney Olympics
112,000 spectators witnessed historical past on that momentous night time in Sydney. Few Australians have carried the load of expectations like Freeman, who lit the Olympic Flame only a few days earlier. But she impressed a nation – and loads of our present Matildas – along with her dominant victory.
2000: Aussies stun the world in males’s 4x100m freestyle relay at Sydney Olympics
Australia has had no scarcity of iconic moments within the pool. But Ian Thorpe anchoring the Australian staff within the 4x100m males’s freestyle relay to an iconic victory must be proper up there. Thorpe charged dwelling like a freight practice to upset an undefeated American staff, making up half a physique size on Gary Hall Jr to win gold and smash the world file.
2002: Steven Bradbury’s all-time comeback seals Olympics gold
No one from the southern hemisphere had claimed gold on the Winter Olympics earlier than Bradbury swooped within the last of the 1000m velocity skating occasion. He was miles behind his rivals however watched them take one another out of the race earlier than gliding by means of for Australia’s first Winter Olympics gold.
2005: John Aloisi sends Socceroos to the World Cup
Australia hadn’t been to a World Cup since 1974, and had fallen quick in elimination qualifiers on many painful events. But they lastly ended that lengthy drought in a penalty shootout win over Uruguay the place Aloisi buried the winner and whipped his shirt off in a celebration children quickly copied across the nation.
2011: Cadel Evans wins Tour de France
No Australian had ever reigned supreme at biking’s showpiece occasion – till the 34-year-old pulled off a stunner with an unbelievable comeback to steal the lead within the last time trial.
2013: Adam Scott wins US Masters
The solely Aussie to ever reign supreme on the most well-known golf event on the planet, Scott outlasted the sphere in a gruelling 4 days at Augusta National – even when it took him a few playoff holes to get the job finished.
2017: Jeff Horn seals beautiful world title upset
Hardly anybody gave Aussie schoolteacher-turned-boxer Jeff Horn an opportunity in opposition to the legendary Manny Pacquiao. But the Aussie obtained the job finished in controversial style at Suncorp Stadium to grow to be Welterweight world champion.
2022: Ash Barty makes Aussie Open historical past
It’s laborious to select only one second. Aus Open or Wimbledon? We’ve gone for dwelling soil as a result of Barty is a true-blue Aussie legend. In a straight-sets masterclass, Barty got here out on prime of American Danielle Collins to grow to be the primary Aussie to win the ladies’s singles crown since approach again in 1978. And she celebrated with a beer, besides.
Honourable mentions:
The 2003 Rugby World Cup, the place Australia claimed a memorable win over NZ within the semis earlier than falling in heartbreaking style to England within the last.
The 2015 Cricket World Cup last on the MCG, the place Australia thrashed New Zealand in entrance of 93,013 followers.
The Women’s T20 World Cup last – additionally on the ‘G – where Meg Lanning’s staff beat India to win a FIFTH T20 WC crown – this time in entrance of 86k.
A 20-year-old Ariarne Titmus in 2021 successful the 200m/400m freestyle double on the Tokyo Olympics, her Olympic debut – and doing so in opposition to the reigning champion Katie Ledecky.
Source: www.foxsports.com.au