TWO Coffs Coast junior athletes have taken on the best the country has to offer.
Evie Hill and Thomas Joyce had impressive performances at the recent Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Perth.
Hill competed in the Under 16 heptathlon, while Joyce competed in the Under 14 200m and 400m events.
Hill finished ninth overall in just her second-ever heptathlon.
She delivered a solid Day 1, and while she didn’t notch any personal bests in individual events, her performances in the 90m Hurdles (15.23s), High Jump (1.48m), and Shot Put (6.92m) were consistent.
She closed out the day with a strong 200m run in 26.91s, earning a Day 1 personal best total of 2459 points.
Day 2 brought better weather and continued grit from Evie.
Despite a tricky take-off in Long Jump, she landed a respectable 4.72m, and then threw a personal best of 19.16m in Javelin and capped off the weekend with a gutsy 800m in 2:46.37.
Hill finished ninth overall with an equal personal best total of 3719 points – a fantastic achievement at national level.
Thomas Joyce kicked off his championships with the 200m heats, clocking a strong 26.15s to place 6th in his heat and 19th overall.
Although just shy of a personal best, it was a great first hit-out and a confidence booster.
On Monday, he returned for the 400m heats, where his experience showed.
Running with confidence and strength, Thomas shaved 0.4 seconds off his personal best, finishing in 58.26s and placing 13th overall – a well-earned reward for his efforts.
Coach Glenn Thacker praised their performances despite a difficult lead-up.
“Both athletes should be incredibly proud of their results, their preparation was far from ideal, with the final three weeks hampered by wet weather and closed tracks,” he said.
“Despite the disruptions, they adapted, persevered, and represented themselves and their club with pride.
“The need for an all-weather athletics track in Coffs is long overdue. Our athletes deserve better training conditions to match their talent and commitment.
“Both athletes showed resilience and determination, particularly in Saturday’s challenging conditions, where strong headwinds made competition tough.”
By Aiden BURGESS
