SYDNEY: Hall of Famer Lauren Jackson will end her long international retirement at the Women’s World Cup in Sydney next month after being named to Australia’s squad for Wednesday’s tournament.
The 41-year-old three-time Olympic silver medalist and 2006 world champion announced her retirement from elite basketball in 2016 after a knee injury kept her out of a fifth edition of the Games Olympics in Rio.
Coach Sandy Brondello says Jackson has done the work to earn his place in the 12 Opals squad who will be looking to improve on their second-place finish at the last World Cup in 2018.
“There were a lot of emotions when Sandy called me, I cried a little to be honest,” Jackson said in a press release.
“I worked hard with my body, and honestly I didn’t know if it was going to hold up to my intense training schedule, but it did and I feel great.
“I believe in this team and what we can achieve, if I can play a part in getting us to the podium then the hard work is worth it.”
Australia, second only to the United States in 2018, will host the 19th edition of the global showpiece at two venues in Sydney from September 22 to October 1.
Les Opales, third in the world behind the United States and Spain, will face France, Serbia, Japan, Mali and Canada in the group stage.