Australia is a mighty nation that prides itself on punching massively above its own weight on the sporting field.
We might be a country of a mere 23 million, but when it comes to sports we are dead set world beaters.
And if you woke up this morning with a sudden swelling of national pride, and the glint of the boxing kangaroo in your eye, it’s not pre-Olympics fever overcoming you. We, as a nation, have conquered the world once again.
After falling agonisingly short in 2014, Australia has today taken out the highly coveted 2016 Quidditch World Cup in a hotly contested tournament held in Frankfurt, Germany.
The national team, adorably nicknamed the Dropbears, overcame previous World Cup champions and perennial powerhouses the United States in a gripping and tense final, running over the top of them to claim a thrilling 150 – 130 victory.
The Dropbears ran roughshod over the whole competition, outlasting the intense two-day tournament to emerge undefeated, steamrolling over Belgium, Slovakia, and Ireland in the group stage, before trouncing Germany, France, and Canada en route to a berth in the finals and a return meeting against the US, the team who toppled them in the previous World Cup’s final game.
Quidditch Australia celebrated the historic victory on Facebook, noting the pride and passion that the Dropbears have carried themselves with over the past few years.
“Over the last year, coach Gen Gibson has worked this team from the ground up with the express purpose of taking on the best team in the world.”“Today we showed the world our strength and determination, but more importantly our love for this sport and community.”
Rather than being a vicious, parochial tournament, the Quidditch World Cups are generally a massively positive affair. The famously gender equal sport brings teams from all different nations together, embracing each other in the spirit of competition and having a super good time.
I mean WOULD YA JUST LOOK AT THESE BLOODY CUTIES CHUCKIN’ A LIL DANCE?
Unreaaaaaaaal!
Congratulations, Dropbears! You’ve done us all very proud.
Photo: Quidditch Australia/Facebook.
