Age: 13
Event: Long & Triple Jump
Personal Best: 4.13m Long Jump (Aug 2019) 8.53m Triple Jump (July 2019)
Coach/s: Jake Daniels, Tracy Lord, Rick McMillan
Club: Normanton Karumba Athletics Club
When did you start athletics?
I started in Prep at school in 2012 and then joined to my local club in Normanton when it started up in 2018.
What is your favourite event and why?
Long Jump is my favourite event, because I usually tend to do very well in it and have twice gone to the state championships for school. Triple Jump is remarkably close behind as I only just started trying it out last year and I have already surprised myself with what I can do in it. Basically, I just like jumping into the sand.
Who is your all-time favourite athlete in track and field?
Hmm… This is a tough one because for us out here we do not really hear about to many. One of them would have to be Cathy Freeman. I look up to her as a fellow female indigenous athlete, and hope to eventually make it to the Olympics myself, probably not in sprints or 400m though, my cousin kicks my butt in those.
What do you love about athletics?
It’s fun and regularly gets me out of the house. I also enjoy doing all the different types of events from jumping to throwing, running and hurdles. It’s always different and there is always something new to try out and learn which is what I love.
How many days a week do you train? What do you like best about training/competing?
I always do some form of training everyday but only do event specific training twice or three times a week for an hour. What I like best about training is learning new and different techniques and figuring out what style I’m most comfortable with. Competing I would have to say finding out how much my friends and fellow competitors have improved between meets and seeing how much I myself have improved as well.
What do you think has been your best achievement in athletics so far?
Setting new records for different events at school and regional level. I also feel quite proud to have been able to make it to the QLD school’s championships for Long Jump 2 years in a row. I was looking forward to making it 3 in a row and adding in Triple Jump as well as hopefully some of the throwing events but COVID-19 put a dent in that plan and will now have to wait until next year.
Do you play any other sports?
I also play Rugby League for Gulf United JRL in our town. I also enjoy playing touch football, Hockey, Basketball as well as going down to the local sports centre of an afternoon and playing different sports that are on there.
What are some of the best things about competing for Normanton and Karumba Athletics Club?
Travelling out of town and going to new and different venues. Also catching up with some friends from different towns who also enjoy doing athletics. Being able to choose what events I want to give a go at (I always pick everything) and testing myself at every chance. I also enjoy helping the coaches with all the little kids cause they all look so adorable and get to have so much fun playing with them.
