Busy Ipswich teenager juggles workload to keep achieving personal bests


Charlize Goody has won state titles gold medals in heptathlon at Little Athletics and senior club level.

 

IT’S just as well record-breaking Ipswich athlete Charlize Goody is so organised.

After another tremendous performance at the latest Little Athletics Queensland Combined Events championships, she has to be.

Charlize, who turns 16 next year, set Queensland records in the under-15 javelin and for overall points winning her under-15 state heptathlon title.

The Karalee all-rounder was outstanding in the javelin, smashing the previous state record of 43.30m.  Charlize threw a personal best 43.80m.

The Ipswich Little Athletics Centre achiever set a second Queensland record in amassing 4958 points from her seven events.  The previous highest state record was 4818 points.

Charlize can compete for two more seasons with the Ipswich Little Athletics Centre.

She has also been achieving incredible results with the Ipswich and District Athletic Club against older competitors.

She won a gold medal in the under-16 heptathlon with 4937 points at the Queensland Combined Events Championships last December.  That bettered her previous best total of 4610.

SMASHING EFFORT:  Charlize in personal best form

DESERVED PRAISE:  Parents, centre manager thanked

“I’m most pleased with my javelin because it was a big PB and that’s what really helps me get an overall PB in heptathlon,” she said.

Charlize has a busy time ahead juggling school commitments and training.

The year 10 Ipswich Girls’ Grammar School student is preparing for three major events to complete her remarkable athletics season.

Charlize has the Little Athletics state championships in mid-March before the Australian Combined Events titles in Melbourne from March 23-24.

The versatile teenager is also looking to contest a range of individual, rather than heptathlon, events in her age group at the national titles in Sydney from April 12-16.

That includes shot put, discus, javelin, hammer throwing and 90m hurdles.

On top of her year 10 studies and intensive seven-day a week training routine, she has also been swimming for IGGS at Met West trials where she qualified in 50m breaststroke.

She swims twice a week for fitness.

Asked how she handles the massive workload, she calmly answered:  “Time management is one of my strengths”.

“She always been.  She’s a very organised child,” her mum Kym said.

She mainly works with coaches Mark Sills and Mick Moore at the Ipswich club.

“I just want to train my hardest and hope the outcome is good,” Charlize said.

Ipswich Little Athletics Centre heptathletes (from left) Sophie Wilkins, Toby Stolberg and Charlize Goody.

Charlize will be joined at the Little Athletics Queensland state titles by centre teammate Sophie Wilkins.

Sophie won the under-16 heptathlon at last weekend’s Combined Events championships to also qualify for this months state titles.

Like Charlize, Sophie represents the Ipswich and District Athletic club at various older age competitions.

Sophie Wilkins.

Sophie won a bronze medal in the under-17 heptathlon in December, achieving personal bests in high jump, 200m, long jump, and the 800m

Although they have different coaches, Charlize and Sophie often catch the train together to QSAC.

“We’re quite good friends,” Charlize said.

Another up and coming all-rounder Toby Stolberg finished fourth behind Charlize in the latest under-15 heptathlon.

Other notable performances by Ipswich Little Athletics Centre competitors last weekend included:

Dempsey Russell ― 2nd in boys U14 pentathlon;

Mackenzie Crowley ― 3rd in girls U13 triathlon throws;  and

Abbie Severinsen ― 4th in girls U14 triathlon sprints and 5th in U14 pentathlon.

Other Ipswich centre athletes in under 13 and under 14 will be up for selection in individual events at the upcoming State Championships from March 19-21.