JANUARY can’t come quick enough for two of Swan Hill’s newest track and field stars, who will compete at Little Athletics Victoria’s New Zealand Development Tour early in the new year.
Aiden Nolen, 14, and Sienna Colombo, 12, were chosen following their involvement in regional and state competitions, as well as for their overall commitment to Little Athletics.
The pair will leave on January 8 and spend seven nights with the Victorian team.
As part of the trip they will also compete in the North Island Colgate Games in Hastings – the biggest annual athletics event in New Zealand for junior athletes.
Both Nolen and Colombo will be part of a 46-person team, with 34 Victorian little athletes and 12 from Tasmania.
Swan Hill Little Athletics Centre secretary Felicia Chalmers said making the squad, which was chosen by Little Athletics Victoria, was a great achievement.
“To have two athletes chosen for that (commitment to Little Athletics) reason, as well as their ability, is great for our club,” Chalmers told The Guardian this week.
“We’ve tried really hard to get athletes involved regardless of their ability and encouraged them to go to as many carnivals as they can, and we try to make those opportunities available to them.
“In terms of selection for the tour, Little Athletics Victoria runs the event and they contacted individual athletes, and it’s then up to them and their families if they would like to be involved and then Little Athletics Victoria selects the team.
“Our club had no involvement with the selection process and I suppose that’s another reason why it’s a really great thing for our club to have two athletes chosen, because it’s done independently of us and it’s great that they’ve been given this opportunity through the state body.”
Nolen, a Year 9 student at Swan Hill College, will compete in four different running events, the 100m, 200m, 400m and relay, in the under-15 age group.
Colombo, a Year 7 student a St Mary MacKillop College, will compete in five individual events, the 100m, 200m, 400m, 800m and hurdles, as well as the relay.
Along with their obvious athletic capabilities, both Nolen and Colombo are strong members of the club off the track as well.
Chalmers praised their positive attitude and infectious personalities.
“Aiden has been with us for a couple of seasons now and he has just fitted into the club beautifully,” she said.
“He’s a wonderful athlete, but more importantly, he’s just a nice young man who is always happy to help out the other athletes and takes up every opportunity he can, and as such we weren’t surprised that he was chosen to go to New Zealand.
“That’s the same with Sienna, she does some of the events that aren’t always the most popular, such as the 800m, hurdles and the distance running, but she just gives her all every time and breaks records here and there as well.
“She’s also really involved in the club and helps out regularly and I think everyone is just really looking forward to them coming home from New Zealand and telling us all about what they’ve learnt.”
Having been involved at the club for the past two seasons, Nolen said he was looking forward to the challenge of testing himself at his first international competition.
“It will be a great opportunity to show my talent and see what all the other competitors are capable of,” he said.
“I’m also excited to meet new people and experience what New Zealand is like, hopefully I’ll be able to achieve new personal bests and maybe even learn some new training methods.”
The Swan Hill Little Athletics Centre has set up a GoFundMe page to help both athletes cover the cost of their travel to New Zealand.
To contribute or find out more about the Swan Hill Little Athletics Centre, you can contact them through the club’s Facebook page or go to www.swanhilllac.com.au.
