Kialla's Les Goudie and Mandy Hanratty returned from the FIBA Masters Open as champions.
Kialla’s Mandy Hanratty and Les Goudie are putting the gold in green and gold.
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The Goudie-coached Australian over-60s squad, the Brolgas, returned from the inaugural FIBA Masters Open in Greece in triumphant fashion, claiming world title honours as one of 11 Aussie teams to take on the world's best.
And while Goudie pulled the strings from the sideline, Hanratty was marshalling defensive efforts in the Brolga’s green and gold backcourt as they crashed and bashed their way to the gold medal match against Chile in Loutraki.
The Aussies held a two-point lead after the first stanza but were unassailable from there, romping to a 51-30 win to take out the gold on the back of victories over Italy, Ireland, and Mexico.
Hanratty said it was a watershed moment at the now-federated event, with the sport’s governing body taking ownership of the revitalised pathway for international hoopers in the masters age bracket.
“Winning the cup was pretty exciting for the inaugural FIBA event,” Hanratty said.
“It was the first time this tournament's been held, and it was quite successful.”
Mandy Hanratty FIBA World Championship winner.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
A late bloomer to basketball, Hanratty took a two-decade hiatus before making a return to the court, and has been developing her craft as a reliable defender for about 15 years now.
“I didn't start until I was much older, and I gave it away for about 20 years - I thought I was too old,” she said.
“Then at 40, my first serious tournament was the World Masters in Melbourne, which was about 20 years ago.
“I started playing again when I was 45 and have played in a tournament every year ever since.”
Today, Hanratty is a well-travelled competitor who has represented Australia as far afield as Switzerland, Taipei, and even Guam, and the Grahamvale schoolteacher has become a cornerstone of the Aussie set-up.
Off the court Goudie, a former president and coach of the Greater Shepparton Basketball Association, has helped sculpt the side’s tactical edge, and both are enjoying the journey to boot.
“I've represented Australia five or six times,” Hanratty said.
“(Our team) comes from all over Australia: Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Shepparton. We don't play together very often, but when we do, we get better each game.
“I'm more of a small rebounder. I've played a lot of netball, so I’m a defender on the court.
“I don't shoot a lot of points, but I will certainly chase, run and defend.”
It’s with the racquet where Mandy and Les also ply their trade, regular competitors with the Shepparton Pickleball Club playing twice a week.
Hanratty was quick to credit her home club as a vital part of staying match-fit, and it's hard to argue — the fast-growing sport may well be one of the secrets behind their remarkable longevity on the court.
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