Thursday, November 28, 2013
Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center, Bangkok —Wikinews interviewed Georgia Inglis, of the Australia women’s national wheelchair basketball team, known as the Gliders. The Gliders are in Bangkok, Thailand, for the Asia-Oceania Zone Wheelchair Basketball Championships, which are being held at the Thai-Japanese Bangkok Youth Center.
They are hoping to qualify for the World Championships, which are being held in Toronto, Canada, in June next year. Inglis is one of two new players in the team. Wikinews caught up with her before the Gliders’ match against China.
((Wikinews)) Where were you born?
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- Georgia Inglis: In Perth.
((WN)) Perth!
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) According to the [draft Wikipedia] article, it says that you had an accident involving a ride-on lawn mower?
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep. That’s true.
((WN)) Really? What happened?
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- Georgia Inglis: The boy just didn’t see me, so he ran over.
((WN)) And how old were you?
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- Georgia Inglis: I was ten.
((WN)) It says also that you were a tennis player and a swimmer.
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) Which sports did you get involved in? You were playing sports before your accident?
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- Georgia Inglis: I did tennis before my accident, and I did tennis after my accident and I did swimming after my accident.
((WN)) And it says that you were a really good tennis player and swimmer.
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- Georgia Inglis: Um, no, not that good. I was a little bit competitive, but that’s about it.
((WN)) So what made you take up basketball?
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- Georgia Inglis: I just enjoyed the team sport more. Yes, enjoyed it a lot more.
((WN)) So when did you start playing?
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- Georgia Inglis: Three or four years ago, I think it was.
((WN)) A you joined the local team there?
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- Georgia Inglis: The juniors, yeah. Then I trained with the Western Stars. And I got on the team.
((WN)) When was that, about 2010 or 2011?
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- Georgia Inglis: The first Kevin King cup. Whenever that was.
((WN)) I’ll find out
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- Georgia Inglis: It was in Sydney.
((WN)) You’ve been playing with them for three or four years.
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) And you were selected for the Osaka Cup earlier this year.
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) Which was your first overseas trip with the Gliders.
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- Georgia Inglis: With the Gliders, yep.
((WN)) You’ve been overseas with the under 23?
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) Where’d you go?
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- Georgia Inglis: Canada! Toronto.
((WN)) Okay!
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) I saw you play in the [WNWBL] games. You were particularly impressive in that final.
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- Georgia Inglis: The Grand Final?
((WN)) The Grand Final. You guys won.
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- Georgia Inglis: Yeah.
((WN)) You were really good.
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- Georgia Inglis: Oh, thank you.
((WN)) And so you were at a couple of training camps, and then you were selected for this.
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- Georgia Inglis: Yep.
((WN)) And so how has it been?
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- Georgia Inglis: Yeah, it’s been really good. I loved it. Really good. Really enjoyed it.
((WN)) And Bangkok? What do you think about it?
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- Georgia Inglis: It’s an interesting place.
((WN)) Bit different?
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- Georgia Inglis: Very different to Australia.
((WN)) Have you been overseas only to Toronto, or have you been elsewhere?
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- Georgia Inglis: No, I went to Italy and trained over there for three months.
((WN)) When was that?
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- Georgia Inglis: Last year. And I played for… well I didn’t really play, but I trained with a team in Sardinia.
((WN)) So you were part of the team?
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- Georgia Inglis: Yeah, but I didn’t really play, just trained.
((WN)) Some other players have…
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- Georgia Inglis: Yeah, Luke Pople and Alan Deans. We all went over there.
((WN)) Anything else you’d like to say?
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- Georgia Inglis: Can’t really think of anything.
((WN)) Okay! No worries! Thank you!