Australia | |||
---|---|---|---|
FIBA ranking | 4 2 | ||
FIBA zone | FIBA Oceania | ||
National federation | Basketball Australia | ||
Coach | Brendan Joyce | ||
Nickname(s) | Opals | ||
Olympic Games | |||
Appearances | 8 | ||
Medals |
Silver: (2000, 2004, 2008) Bronze: (1996, 2012) |
||
Women's World Cup | |||
Appearances | 14 | ||
Medals |
Gold: (2006) Bronze: (1998, 2002, 2014) |
||
Oceania Championship | |||
Appearances | 15 | ||
Medals | Gold: (1974, 1978, 1982, 1985, 1989, 1995, 1997, 2001, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2009, 2011, 2013, 2015) | ||
Uniforms | |||
|
The Australian women's national basketball team is the women's basketball team representing Australia in FIBA international competitions. The team is nicknamed the Opals, after the brightly coloured gemstone, common to the country. From 1994 onwards, the Opals have been consistently competitive and successful having won nine medals at official FIBA international tournaments (Olympics and World Cups), highlighted by a gold medal winning performance at the 2006 World Championship in Brazil. At the regional Oceania Championship for Women, the Opals have won 15 titles.
Basketball arrived in Melbourne in 1905, but the first major international women’s tournament was the 1953 FIBA World Championships held in Chile. Although the Opals did not qualify for the first tournament, they did, however, qualify for the 1957 Championships held in Brazil. Captained by Lorraine Eiler, the Opals defeated Cuba and Peru. However, the inexperienced team ultimately finished in 10th place. Since then, the Opals have helped increase the popularity of the sport in Australia. Australia would not get the opportunity to participate at the 1959 World Championship held in Moscow because at the time, the Australian Government would not allow the team to travel to the USSR. The Opals would not qualify for a World Championship again until the 1967 contest in Czechoslovakia. With an entirely new team and a single victory over Italy, Australia finished in 10th position for the second time.