JIMBOOMBA Athletics Club members have won more than 30 medals at the Queensland Junior Track and Field Championships at the Queensland Sports and Athletics Centre.
The championships included events for athletes in the under 14 to under 20 age groups and acts as a qualifier for the Australian Junior Titles being held at Olympic Park in Sydney this weekend.
In total, 15 athletes won 11 gold, 13 silver and 10 bronze medals in all areas of track and field – sprinting and hurdling as well as in jumps and throws – and were particularly strong in pole-vault and hammer throwing.
One of the most successful athletes was Samantha Schmidt who broke Queensland and Australian records in the under 18 women’s multi-class discus with a throw of 31.78m. This was Schmidt’s first competition back after injury and a huge personal best. Schmidt also won the under 18 women’s multi-class javelin and placed in the 100m sprint.
Another successful athlete was Felila Kia who won four Queensland titles in the under 16 and under 17 girls’ shot put and under 17 discus and javelin events. Kia also won silver in the under 16 javelin and bronze in the 90m hurdles.
Cedar Grove resident Maddison Aitkin, 15, was a pole-vault gold medallist in the girls’ under 17 event. This was her fourth consecutive victory in the vault.
Also taking back to back pole-vault victories was Sam Windsor in the under 16 men’s event.
Other athletes who vaulted well were Sam Emblen who picked up bronze in the under 20 men’s pole-vault and William Glass who placed fourth.
In the men’s hammer throwing events, victory went to Mitchelle Fekete in the under 20s, with Connor Addley picking up silver in the under 16 event and Jack Addley winning silver in the under 14 event. Addley also landed a silver in javelin.
In the under 20 women’s hammer, the silver medal went to Kelsie Willoughby.
Competing at his first senior athletics championships, Motootua Kia won gold in the under 14 discus and silver for shot put.
Also competing at her first championships in the under 14 division, Erin Gallagher won silver for discus and bronze for shot put.
Specialist thrower Talosaga Kia won three silver and one bronze for under 18 shot put, discus and javelin and under 20 javelin. Ben Roberts added to his state medal collection, placing second in the under 17 javelin.
