TWO young Mount Gambier athletes are currently preparing for one of the biggest competitions of their lives, the School Sport Australia Pacific School Games in Adelaide.
Leila Croker (11 years of age) and Jacob Salmon (10 years of age) both made their respective track and field teams and are busy preparing for the meet in December.
Croker has previously attended the national championships, but for Salmon it will be his first time as such a big meeting.
He did however compete in a national cross country event in Tasmania this year, where he finished 14th from a field of over 40.
Croker will compete in the individual long jump, plus the combined 100m, long jump, shot put and 800m events, while Salmon is up for the long distance events – the 800m and the 1500m.
Croker said last year’s national event was enjoyable but quite a different experience.
“I went pretty good,” she said.
“It was very different to school competition.
“There were lots of people there and a completely different track, but it was fun.”
Salmon said he was looking forward to the competition, with a realistic personal goal.
“I want to enjoy and finish around top 10,” Salmon said.
It has been a tough road to qualify for the games, with both athletes needing to make the top two or three in the state.
Both went through state country competitions, but even to win their events does not automatically guarantee a spot in the South Australian team.
A metropolitan competition is also held, with the top times from both making the cut.
The country children basically need to medal to qualify, with some who won their events not making the final team, such is the strength of the competitions.
“I had to try out at my school, then went against the other schools in Mount Gambier,” Croker said.
“Then we had to go up to Adelaide against everyone in the state.”
Once in the squad the hard work continues, with trainings in Adelaide each weekend, along with the usual training here in Mount Gambier.
Salmon said it was hard work.
“I train two days a week,” he said.
“I have a coach and it is pretty hard, but I enjoy it.”
In similar fashion to a senior meet, the children go through heats to make their finals, with all the fanfare along the way.
“It is a big meeting for the kids to experience,” Leila’s mother Jo said.
“With all the other sports being played at the same time, it is a bit like a mini Olympics – they even have an opening and closing ceremony.”
Jacob’s father Adam said it was hard not to be proud of the children and what they had achieved just to reach the games.
“It is pretty hard not to be very proud of them,” he said.
“When they’re competing at this level and you see how hard it is to make it, it is a pretty big achievement.”
The two young athletes will face competition from 15 other countries, with their events running from December 2-6.
