Perth, Western Australia (Jan. 7, 2018) – The World Flying Disc Federation’s 2018 World Under 24 Ultimate Championships are officially underway in Perth, Western Australia. Opening ceremonies, including a parade of nations, original aboriginal dance and welcoming speeches from the tournament organizing and WFDF kicked things off at the University of Western Australia Sports Park. The beautiful field complex will be home to 41 teams from 20 nations and more than 900 athletes over the next seven days.

Competition began with a showcase game in the mixed division between India and Australia. After falling behind early, the underdogs from India found confidence and were able to fight back to for a big win over the home team.

The U.S. delegation also got off to a rousing start, with the women’s team rolling to a 15-1 win over Singapore. An opening possession assist from Angela Zhu – a beautiful outside-in flick into the end zone for Claire Thallon – set the tone for the U.S., and the team never looked back. Singapore got on the board with a nothing-to-lose huck while down 14-0, before the U.S. capped off their opening game. Contributions came from all across the team throughout the contest, but on a roster of all stars, Zhu, Amel Awadelkarim and Carolyn Normile stood out in game one. Zhu had three goals on her stat line to go with her first-point assist. Awadelkarim had two goals and two assists, and Normile tallied three assists of her own. Overall, the team looked incredibly solid throughout. They didn’t throw their first turnover until the fifth point.

Also of note, both Jaclyn Verzuh and Nhi Nguyen sat out for the opening game nursing injuries, but both hope to be back in competition this week.

All three U.S. teams are set to take the field tomorrow. The men’s team will take on Colombia at 9:00 a.m. (8:00 p.m. ET on Jan. 7) and Singapore at 1:00 p.m. (midnight ET on Jan. 8). The mixed team will face Great Britain at 9:00 a.m. (8:0o p.m. ET on Jan. 7) and Hong Kong at 1:00 p.m. (midnight ET on Jan 8). And the women’s team is set to take on Colombia at 3:00 p.m. (2:00 a.m. ET); the game will also be the first U.S. game livestreamed from Perth.

You can keep up with all the action from the World Under 24 Championships right here, including schedules, results and links to all streamed U.S. games.

Stay tuned for more from Perth!