Sprinting towards a championship goal is Goodna’s Larissa Chambers.
YOUNG sprinter Larissa Chambers is on a mission to become the national 100m under-13 Little Athletics champion.
It’s anything but a small goal, but the Goodna Little Athletics member has never been one to aim for anything but the top.
With Olympic gold-medallist Cathy Freeman not only her idol, but also a distant relative, Larissa has plenty of motivation.
After she was recently named in the Queensland team to compete at the national championships in Adelaide later this month and with a personal best (PB) of 12.71 seconds, the 13-year-old will go close to that goal.
“I’m excited but nervous,” Larissa said as one of only 11 girls and 11 boys from Queensland chosen.
“I’m hoping to win the 100m or just medal.”
She will also compete in the 400m, triple jump and relay.
Although battling through the common growing disease, Sever’s, Larissa has had an interrupted training program.
Returning to a somewhat normal routine late February, Larissa seems to have picked up where she left off last year, when she competed at the Pacific School Games.
However, Larissa and older sister Aaliyah’s training regimes are anything but routine.
The sisters live and go to school in Dalby, but spend almost half the week in Ipswich, training at the Ipswich and District Athletics Club under noted coach Vic Pascoe.
They also spend Friday nights at the Goodna Little Athletics club.
“The time she ran on the championship day was 13.09 but that was into a three to four metre headwind,” coach Vic Pascoe said.
“That time is not something that is quick but very good considering the conditions.
“If she is running at her PB time over there, she’ll be in the finals.”
Meanwhile, other regional athletes also performed well at the recent state championships.
Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School long distance runner Jade Dowling continued a successful season, winning the under-12 girls 800m and 1500m.
Stephanie Purser won the under-11 javelin and backed up in the shot put, winning silver.
Ipswich coach Vic Pascoe said the race of the day was Majella Cassidy’s win in the under-10 60m hurdles, finishing just 0.15 seconds in front of second place.
For the boys, Ipswich athlete Nicholas Grant claimed two bronze medals in the under-nine 100m and 200m, while Timothy Smailes claimed second place in the under-14 discus and javelin.
Goodna’s best results came through the efforts of under-13 athlete Johanan Heremia, who finished second in the triple jump and third in the high jump.
Nicholas Summerville was the only Rosewood representative to medal.
He claimed bronze in the under-nine 700m walk.
