World Footy News

2011 Northern Lights player Renee Tong has come one step closer to realising her ambition of playing for her country again at IC14 after winning Canadian wellbeing and supplements company Genuine Health’s $10,000 prize for having the most votes in support of her athletic dream.

Tong’s goal was to use the money towards the flight, accommodation and training costs necessary to compete at the next International Cup. Over 20,000 people voted for her in a tight run but controversial competition, where closest rival, barrel racing fan Marissa Zwicker, was disqualified for cheating when it was revealed her sister was allegedly visiting “pay for votes” Facebook groups and defaming Tong’s character on various chat forums. 

Tong is currently on the reserve list for the 2014 Northern Lights squad and hopes that a little more training and the guarantee of funding will secure her a spot, and the thousands of fans on Australia’s Big Footy AFL chat forum who supported her also hope that she cam make it back to Australia so they can cheer her on in person.

Big Footy was so impressed by the volume and positivity of the support for Tong that they interviewed her about her love for the game and her aspirations to represent her country: