AUS - Jackson hit by travelling bug

SYDNEY (FIBA World Championship for Women) - Lauren Jackson’s triumphant homecoming was hit by a trip to a Sydney hospital overnight.

The Australian national team returned home Tuesday from their gold-medal performance at the FIBA World Championship for Women and enjoyed a rapturous reception at Sydney Airport.

But hours later, Opals captain Jackson was rushed to hospital after suffering from an attack of vomiting.

The 24-year-old star is now recovering at her Sydney home after receiving anti-nausea medication and fluids in hospital on Wednesday morning.

A diagnosis is yet to be made but it is thought Jackson caught an airborne virus while returning from Brazil.

"Lauren has been released from hospital and she is just resting," confirmed Basketball Australia spokesman Bill Baxter.

"She entered at around 5am and was released three or four hours later.

"They (medical staff) are still waiting on the results of some tests but the thinking now is that she picked up some sort of bug in transit and she’s starting to feel better."

Over 200 people gathered to greet the victorious Opals, who defeated Russia 91-74 in Saturday’s final to claim Australia’s first senior world title in basketball.

The Opals had already gone close, finishing in the medals at every World Championship and Olympic Games since 1996.

And now that the Opals finally have gold, a much-healthier Jackson told a press conference at the airport she hopes the sports-mad Australian public will begin to take them seriously.

"We have worked very hard for this for a long time," she said. "To actually be holding a gold medal now is just unbelievable.

"It is the best thing that has ever happened for women's basketball in Australia. We've been the little sister for a long time, to a lot of other sports, but we’ve made our own mark now in history and that was exciting."

Jackson wants to relax before thinking about winning another gold at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

"I'm just so happy that we won the World Championship," she added.

"For this week, I'm just focusing on having fun. I haven't been home in six months, (I'm) going to see my friends, have a party - I'll think about Beijing in a week."

From Ben Collins, PA Sport, Sydney