PORT Stephens sprint queen Elara Barnes is the athlete to watch after her record-breaking feats at the Region 2 Athletics Championships last weekend at Maitland Regional Athletics Centre.
The emerging golden girl capped a memorable meet by claiming the 14yrs Girls 100m and 200m sprint double in brilliant style, earning herself instant qualification to the upcoming NSW Junior Athletics titles.
Electric Elara proved unstoppable in the 100m final – setting a new region record of 12.54 sec to flash home in first place ahead of runner-up Peyton Smith of Wallsend RSL Athletics Club (12.83 sec) and bronze medalist Imogen Hyslop of Warnervale (13.40 sec).
The St Philip’s Christian School Salamander Bay student backed up the following day to secure the 200m title in a sizzling time of 25.93 seconds – staving off challenges from silver medalist Smith (26.77 sec) and Maitland’s Sienna Drage (27.37 sec).
Elara’s latest gold medal triumphs as a track sprinter are a just reward for her intensive training efforts under the guidance of Newcastle’s High Performance athletics coach Vanessa Price.
Barnes was one of four Port Stephens Athletics Club juniors to bring home gold in track and field at the Region 2 carnival.
Promising long distance runner Denver Trojkovic also snared double gold with superb wins in the 11yrs Boys 800m and 1500m finals.
Dashing Denver clocked 5:07.52 sec to capture gold in the 1500m final ahead of Mingara’s Duke Smith (5:16.98) and Gosford’s Django Mak (5:33.80sec) before edging out Smith to snare the 800m title in a time of 2:31.43 sec.
Naomi Reungkitchaya snared the 16yrs Girls Discus (1.0kg) gold medal with a throw of 32.70m, finishing ahead of Cardiff silver medalist Tahlia Smith (28.31m) and picked up a bronze medal in shot put.
Talented all rounder Anna Taylor-Anderson produced a stout-hearted finish to win the 15yrs Girls 90m hurdles in a time of 14.20 sec – just in front of Westlakes sprinter Charlotte Campbell (14.23 sec) – and capped a productive meet by also claiming bronze medals in the javelin, triple jump and long jump field events plus 100m.
Anna’s younger sibling Jaimee Taylor-Anderson picked up a bronze in the 13yrs Girls javelin while talented long distance sprinter Isla Trayling grabbed bronze in the 12yrs Girls 1500m with a time of 5:31.64 sec behind Gosford gold medalist Flora Norris (5:02.76 sec) and runner up Zahra Bruce from Eastlakes (5:03.45 sec).
Other Port Stephens bronze medalists included Emily Watson in the 14yrs Girls long jump (4.73m) and whiz kid Dre Elias in the 8yrs Boys 200m (34.30sec).
Rising field athlete Eva Hanrahan was another Port Stephens junior to shine – securing a silver medal in the 15yrs Girls shot put (3.0 kg) with a throw of 9.51m.
By Chris KARAS
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