Rising Stars Vie for Australian All Schools Glory
Cherrybrook Athletics Club will be represented by six of their brightest athletes at the Australian All Schools Glory championships in Adelaide from December 9-11.
Teddy Hampton, Xavier Hennessey, Viktorija Calusic, Sarah-Anne Koot, Joel Moresi, and Sam Price will represent their schools and Cherrybrook Athletics Club as a part of the crack NSW team contesting the first Australian All Schools since 2019.
The youngsters take form into the event and could be among the medal contenders. It is a remarkable year for Teddy (under-15) and Xavier (under-16) because the two rising pole vaulters are competing at the national level for the second time, despite having taken up this discipline in January.
Teddy claimed gold and Xavier the silver at the 2022 NSW Athletics State Championships. Xavier then won bronze at the Nationals. At the NSW All Schools, Teddy, representing Pennant Hills High School, claimed gold while Xavier (Gilroy College) took silver. Xavier previously made the 2021 NSW merit list – for athletes who would have attended Australian All Schools had it been on – in the triple jump.
Barker College’s Viktorija figures in the under-17 high jump, having competed here in 2019. She is among the top junior female high jumpers in Australia, consistently reaching the national level. She is aiming to better her recent personal best of 174cm.
“It’s always in the back of your mind that one day I would like to represent Australia but for now I am focussing on the next PB,” said Viktorija, who took to the sport when her PE teacher advised her: ‘You’re tall, try this!”
Carlingford High’s Joel and St Aloysius student Sam (under-13) both represented Cherrybrook LA at the 2022 Australian Little Athletics Championships and also qualified for the Nationals.
Last year in the under-12s, Joel won the high jump gold plus two silvers and a bronze at the NSW All Schools Championship while Beecroft’s Sam claimed silver in the javelin. In Adelaide, Joel will be competing in the under-14 high jump and 800m while Sam is vying for a medal in the under-14 shot put.
Cherrybrook Technology High’s Sarah- Anne, who made the top six in 90m and 200m hurdles at the Nationals in April, will compete in under-16 90m hurdles in Adelaide. She wants to beat her 13.19PB with hopes for a sub-13 second result – before moving up to a longer distance next season.
“I am really looking forward to the team environment and to competing for the last time in this event,” Sarah-Anne said.
Throwers Anna Kely (Pennant Hills High) and Daniel de Sacadura (Cherrybrook Technology High), who won gold and silver in September, are not going to Adelaide, having both completed their HSC this year.
Cherrybrook AC athletes have always been high achievers, many of them representing Australia at the Olympics, Commonwealth Games, and World Championships with success.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
