Wednesday, 14 August 2024

 Martin CAMERON (Morwell) (10:04): I rise to talk Olympic Games and in particular Olympic basketball dreams, with 21-year-old Traralgon girl Jade Melbourne and her bronze medal win with the Opals at the Paris Olympics. Jade’s basketball journey began with St Michael’s, Traralgon T-Birds and Latrobe City Energy; she moved to Canberra, Seattle and currently Washington; and of course there are the Opals. With mum and dad Brett and Sharyn cheering from Paris and supporting with a blow-up kangaroo – good work, Brett – and sisters Sophie and Ava leading the charge at the Crown Hotel in Traralgon with a massive home-town support crew joining them, Jade not only made every local proud but won the hearts of every Australian with her relentless pressure and incredible ball-handling skills while also being named the FIBA Rising Star of the Olympics.

With the local Gippsland Regional Indoor Sports Stadium having courts and backboards named after people who have represented Australia at both junior and senior levels in basketball, could it be that there is a new name to be added, and could it possibly be the Jade Melbourne indoor sports stadium? Many astute judges both locally and internationally say Jade will captain the Opals into the future. I have no doubt this will happen. I am sure the bronze medal has more than paid back the countless hours of driving to training and tournaments that mum and dad have done for you to reach your dream. Congratulations, Jade. You will forever be part of Australian Olympic history.