Softball hero scores Beijing bronze
- 22nd August 2008
TOOWOOMBA product Kylie Cronk has broken the city's Beijing Olympic drought, winning a softball bronze medal on Wednesday night.
After beating Canada 5-3 in a thrilling semi-final showdown, Australia missed the chance to play for gold just hours later when they lost 4-3 in the 12th innings to Japan in the bronze medal play-off.
Cronk did not play the match against Japan, but her Toowoomba-based aunt Margie Hamlet said Cronk was delighted with her Olympic debut.
“We're so excited for her. We haven't spoken to her since the bronze medal match but she texted us after they played Canada saying 'bring on Japan',” she said.
“I think one of Kylie's strengths is that she's a great team player. We saw her cheering her heart out from the dugout in the match against the Japanese – that's exactly what she's like.
“She throws herself into everything she does so we know she's having an absolute ball over there.
“The whole family has been glued to the TV. We were on the edge of our seats last night (Wednesday) – my two-year-old wouldn't go to bed because she wanted to watch cousin Kylie.”
Mrs Hamlet, a former state level softballer, said she made sure Cronk had a softball mitt in hand “as soon as she could walk”, claiming responsibility for her niece's goofy-footed batting stance.
“I bat left-handed and it was the only way I could teach Kylie to bat. I think in a lot of ways it's a bit of an advantage, and at the very least it makes the run to first base a bit shorter,” she said.
“I used to go and watch Kylie when she started playing T-ball but I didn't realise she had the potential to go this far until she started playing softball in the under 10s.
“She's the kind of person who does well in whatever she sets her mind to, which is why she has been able to go so far with her sport and her career.
“The whole family is incredibly proud of Kylie – we can't wait to see her when she gets back from Beijing and hear about her time over there.
“Softball is very much in the family - she has all her cousins inspired.”
