TWO of Jimboomba Little Athletics’ rising stars have won selection to an under 15 national squad and will travel to Canberra on Friday.
Sam Windsor and Gemma King, aged 14, will take part in an Australian Institute of Sport workshop due to their high jump achievements at a Queensland State competition in 2017.
King won the high jump event and secured a personal best record, jumping 1.6 metres last year.
The upcoming event is not the first time Sam Windsor has traveled interstate for little athletics.
Windsor has competed at Perth, Canberra and Sydney, even attending an athletics camp in New Zealand last year.
The Beaudesert State High School student said he was excited to attend the trip.
“This will give us better coaching so we have a better understanding of what we do,” he said.
Jimboomba Little Athletics committee member Brooke King said the trip was a good opportunity for both athletes.
“It gets their name out a bit and exposes them to different aspects of coaching. It will inspire them to know what the Olympians do out there,” King said.
“The pair are competitive with each other, they have known each other since prep. They are very dedicated athletes and work hard with their coaches and always have a go.”
Gemma and Sam are both preparing for the School States athletics competition to be held in three weeks, representing Canterbury College and Beaudesert State High School respectively.
Gemma rates 200 metre sprints and high jump as her top events while Sam said his strengths lay in high jump and pole vault.
Jimboomba Little Athletics have produced world class athletes, including Ashley Moloney who was crowned world champion at the under 20 world decathlon championship at Finland in July this year.