Gold medal for rising Port Stephens athlete Naomi Reungkitchaya

OUTSTANDING Port Stephens athlete Naomi Reungkitchaya is celebrating another golden moment in elite track and field athletics.

Sixteen year old Naomi of Nelson Bay underlined her potential by claiming gold in the Girls 16s discus final at the Athletics NSW Country Championships in Dubbo last weekend.

The talented field prospect, who is coached by her mother Wendy Reungkitchaya, won the title with an impressive throw of 30.79 metres.

She defeated Cardiff athlete Tahlia Smith, who grabbed the silver with a throw of 26.34m, and bronze medallist Ella Steenbergen (24.52m) from Young & District Little Athletics club.

Naomi’s Country championship triumph matched the effort of her Port Stephens club mate Elara Barnes who was part of the crack NSW 14s Mixed 4 x 200m Relay team that brought home gold at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in Melbourne last month.

Lining up also in the Women’s 16s shot put final, versatile Naomi performed strongly to finish in sixth spot.

It is all systems go for Port Stephens Athletics Centre hopefuls in the build up to February’s Regional 2 Athletics Championships in Maitland.

Thirty five of the club’s top juniors have qualified for the prestigious meet to be held from Friday 13 to Sunday 15 February at the Maitland Regional Athletics Centre.

Boom junior Anna Taylor-Anderson will compete in six events in the Girls 15s division –  90m hurdles, 100m preliminary, high jump, long jump, triple jump and javelin (500 gram).

Promising all rounder Isla Trayling, 11, also qualified for six track and field events in 80m hurdles, 400m, 800m, 1500m, long jump and triple jump in the Girls 12s category.

Other Port Stephens club Regional 2 qualifiers include:

GIRLS 8s: Lydia Lailai-Smith – 400m and 700m run pack start; Sierra White – 70m sprint preliminary and shot put (1.5kg).

GIRLS 9s: Lyla Green – 200m sprint preliminary;400m and 800m; Sophie Appleby – 70m sprint, long jump and high jump; Elayna Chesters – 70m and 100m; Ellie Levy – high jump and shot put (2.0kg); Matilda Ferris-Lescoffit – shot put (2.0kg), discus (500 gram) and long jump; Maya White – 60m hurdles and shot put (2kg).

GIRLS 10s: Malia Foster – 100m sprint preliminary; long jump and high jump; Joy Schneider – 70m sprint, 100m and 200m preliminaries and long jump; Evelyn Jurisic – 400m; Isla Gattenhof – shot put (2.0kg).

GIRLS 11s: Laylah Standing – 200m preliminary, 400m, 800m.

GIRLS 13s: Brynne Dagwell  – javelin (400 gram) and shot put (3.0kg); Jamie Lee Taylor-Anderson – javelin (400 gram), long jump, triple jump, shot put (3kg) and discus (750 gram).

GIRLS 14s: Elara Barnes – 100m and 200m; Amelia Connell – javelin (500 gram), discus (1.0kg) and shot put (3.0kg); Pippi Cullimore – 100m; Emily Watson – 100m and 200m preliminaries and long jump.

GIRLS 15s: Eva Hanrahan – javelin (500 gram), discus (1.0kg) shot put (3.0kg) and long jump.

BOYS 8s: Dre Elias – 70m sprint, 100m, 200m preliminaries and long jump.

BOYS 9s: Luka Keatinge – 400m; Jax Trojkovic – 400m and 800m.

BOYS 10s: Landen Weine – 60m hurdles, 70m sprint and 200m preliminary and long jump; Charlie Webb – 100m preliminary and discus (500 gram).

BOYS 11s: Rhylin Green – 400m and long jump; Denver Trojkovic – 400m, 800m and 1500m.

BOYS 12s: Brayden Weine – discus (750 gram) and javelin (400 gram); Anthony Ford – discus (750 gram), shot put (2.0 kg) and javelin (400 gram); Noah Regan – 100m and 200m preliminary, 400m and shot put (2.0kg).

BOYS 13s: Max Hanrahan – 90m hurdles, 100m preliminary, 200m preliminary, 200m hurdles and high jump; Royal Turner-Bryans – javelin (600 gram); Hudson White – high jump.

By Chris KARAS