Townsville athletes in top shape

November 30th, 2009

A GROUP of Townsville's top young athletes are expected to shine when they represent Queensland at the national schools athletics titles in Hobart next month.

Seven teenagers from Townsville schools are looking to bring home medals and may have the chance to represent Australia on the world athletics stage.

The Townsville contingent will join more than 1500 athletes and 270 officials at the Australian All Schools and Youth Athletics Championships, which is the largest track and field event on the Australian calendar.

Bradley Edwards and Hayden Clarke, both from Ignatius Park College, Amie Ashelford, Alex Ypinazar, Matt Bailey and Kerri Tibbs of Pimlico State High School, and Alexandra Kanowski, of Cathedral College, have already scored great results at the state titles in Brisbane in October.

Their coach Sue Boyd said she had high hopes the students would bring home more medals from Hobart.

Boyd said they would come up against the best young athletes in Australia at the national titles.

''Most of these athletes gained personal bests at the state titles in Brisbane which is attributed to all the hard work they have put in all year, so there is no question why any of these athletes can't achieve great results in Hobart,'' she said.

''Matt Bailey, who is 17, has already been earmarked as a potential member of the world junior team for July next year.

''This all depends on his placings and times at this meet.''

At the State titles Edwards scored a gold medal in the 400m sprint with a time of 51.8secs while Clark also took a gold medal in long jump with 6.27 m.

Matt Bailey won a silver medal in the 400m  sprint in a quick 48.74secs as well as taking the silver in the 800m with a time of 1min. 57secs.

Tibbs and Kanowksi both took silver medals in triple jump with 11.45m and 11.70m.

Ypinazar came fourth in triple jump with 13.50m and sixth in long jump with 6.45m.

Ashelford brought home the silver medal in long jump with 5.13m and in the triple jump with 11.30m