Peta Murphy (Dunkley, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Commonwealth Games start tomorrow. Today, I want to give a shout-out to two female athletes who will be wearing the green and gold in Birmingham. For Alyssa Polites, who lives in my electorate of Dunkley, Birmingham will be her first Commonwealth Games. Apparently, sibling rivalry was her inspiration for taking up cycling when she was 12, jealous that her older brother had been gifted a new race bike by her parents. Well, she has sure shown them. Last year, she won the national junior time trial and road race. This year, she won the under-23 road race, while still 18 years old, and the national madison champion title. Although she rides at the Caulfield Carnegie club, up the road from my electorate, we can forgive her for that because I know that all of Dunkley will be cheering for her.

For Rachael Grinham, a legend of Australian and world squash, it will be her fourth Commonwealth Games—the first female Australian athlete to reach that milestone. When she carries the Australian flag at the opening ceremony, she will be the first squash player to ever do so—if you can believe that. Rachael made her Commonwealth Games debut in 1998 in Kuala Lumpur, and I was in the crowd cheering her on. She won silver in the doubles at those games, and then in 2006 with her sister in Melbourne she won gold. I was there cheering her on again. She is not only a superb athlete; she has been a leading voice for Australian LGBTIQ athletes, and she is a great person.

To Alyssa and Rachael, and all the athletes competing, best of luck, compete well and have a great time.