Cootamundra local James Doyle is now a gold medallist alongside his Australian Boomerang basketball team- mates after winning the Virtus Sport Global Games in France over the weekend.
Virtus Global Games is the world’s largest elite sports event for athletes with an intellectual impairment. Thousands of athletes from Europe, America, Asia, Africa, and Oceania performed across ten main sports. Many athletes who have made their major international debut at the Global Games have gone on to win Paralympic titles. Virtus athletes in athletics, swimming and table tennis from the Global Games 2019 have represent their countries at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympics.
The Virtus Global Games 2023 event provides a world class platform for athletes with an intellectual impairment on the Journey to Paris 2024. The 2023 Virtus Global Games were held in Vichy, France between the 4th and 10th of June. The Australian Boomerangs had a comprehensive 98-68 win over Portugal in the basketball grand final, taking them to the Gold Medal.
The Boomerangs defeated Japan 82-60 in the semi-final to qualify for the Gold Medal match, while also collecting wins over Poland, France and the USA during earlier rounds of the tournament to go through to the Virtus Global Games undefeated. “For the Boomerangs there’s a number of seasoned campaigners, as well as rising stars including, debutant Jack Gilbertson, Jack Innella, Matt Farrar, James Doyle and Brayden Cowell,” the Cootamundra Sports Foundation said. “The Boomerangs have gone through a rigorous selection process and have named a strong 12-person team. “The Global Games were last held in Australia in 2019 and saw the Boomerangs score silver and Australia’s women’s teams both medal with a silver and bronze.
“James Doyle is seen as a rising star of basketball and his experience and skills will benefit the Boomerangs in this tough week-long tournament.”Well done to James on your fantastic achievement of win- ning a gold medal on the world stage and putting Cootamundra on the global sporting map.
Tim Warren