TOMAREE High School’s crack 14 years Girls Relay athletics team have shrugged off injury and illness to bring home an elusive bronze medal at the NSW Combined High Schools Secondary Athletics Championships.
In one of the school’s proudest track achievements, the talented quartet of Anna Taylor-Anderson, Maebel Colley, Mia McDonald and Fern Cullimore showed tons of courage to flash home and finish third in the 4 x 100m Girls Relay final at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.
Two days before the meet the team suffered a setback when leading sprinter Pipi Cullimore fell ill and was forced to pull out of the event – replaced by twin sister Fern.
There was more drama to come after the girls finished second in their heat with a time of 53.55 seconds.
Promising hurdler Taylor-Anderson aggravated a leg injury but declared herself fit for the final with the girls defying the odds and producing another lion-hearted performance to snare bronze.
Leading coach Bob Walkley told News Of The Area that the young Tomaree sprinters had “dug deep” on the track – putting aside their injury concerns and soreness to clock another impressive time of 53.58 seconds in the final.
“It was an amazing feat despite all the adversity in the build up and everyone is proud of their efforts,” beamed the long-serving Port Stephens Athletics Centre official.
Despite her heroics in the Relay final, a disappointed Taylor-Anderson was forced to pull out of her pet event – the 90 metre hurdles – due to injury.
There was more joy for the gifted McDonald when she produced a sizzling time of 34.31 seconds to finish fourth and just outside the medal mix in the Girls 12-15yrs 200m hurdles final.
By Chris KARAS
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