Athletics Australia – News – #NANJING2014

Sydney teenager Alex Hulley is one of the 20 aspiring young athletes to head to China later this year as part of the athletics section for the 2014 Australian Youth Olympic Team.

The 16-year-old will compete in women's Hammer Throw, an event in which she has experienced huge success. Last year Hulley took out the Australian Youth Olympic Festival event with a record throw of 62.04m, demolishing her international competitors. The throw secured a spot in the 2013 World Youth Championships where she placed tenth.

This year spells the next step in the youngster's career, opting to compete in the Youth Olympics instead of the World Junior Championships.

"I would be a little bit young for the Juniors but the perfect age for the Youth Olympics," she said

Unlike many of the young athletes heading to the Games, Hulley has had a taste of overseas competition, but understands the Youth Olympics will be an entirely different experience.

"I went to the World Youth Games in the Ukraine which was very exciting", she said.

"I'm looking forward to going to China. I'm excited to be in the Athletes' village and take part in all the team activities."

When Hulley heads to China later in the year she'll be in great company. Fellow thrower, Ned Weatherly has also been selected. The 16-year-old won multiple medals at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships earlier in the year, throwing a personal best of 71.08m in the 5kg division.

Weatherly has a huge personality and regardless of results at the YOG, he's sure to bring some excitement to the squad.

As well as in field events, the athletics team shows great promise on the track with runners Trae Williams and Samantha Geddes nominated for a spot in the men's and women's 100m respectively.

Geddes is the sister of Jarrod Geddes, who went to the IAAF World Championships last year in the 4x100m relay. and is the only male short sprinter currently qualified to run an individual event at Glasgow 2014 this year.

Sam was also picked to compete at the World Junior Championships, but instead chose to focus on Youth Olympic Games.

Additionally, Jessica Thornton will be keen to continue the impressive form that she showed at the Australian All-Schools event back in December where she won the 400m event, setting a new record with a time of 53.90 seconds

The athletics team has grown since the last Youth Olympics Games in 2010, when only 17 were selected to wear the green and gold. From that Team, Liz Parnov progressed to compete at the 2012 Olympic Games. Pole vaulter Parnov has been selected for the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland along with her Singapore 2010 teammates Nick Hough and Damien Birkinhead.

To date, 47 athletes from 11 sports have been selected to represent Australia at the second summer Youth Olympic Games taking place in Nanjing, China from 16 – 28 August 2014. All the athletics action will take place on days 4-10 at the Nanjing Olympic Sports Centre.

 

Sam Rawlings
olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam

 

Athletics Australia – News

 

Event		First Name		Last Name		State
PV		Declan		Carruthers		SA
Hammer		Alexandra		Hulley		NSW
LJ		Joseph		Muller		QLD
400m		Michael		Mullett		VIC
100H		Rachel		Pace		NSW
SP		Grace		Robinson		NSW
Hammer		Ned		Weatherly		VIC
100m		Samantha		Geddes		NSW
400m		Jessica		Thornton		NSW
100m		Trae		Williams		QLD
HJ		Nicole		Robinson		WA
1500m		Emily		Augustine		NSW
Javelin		Matthew		Rees		NSW
110mH		Nicholas		Andrews		NSW
HJ		Shemaiah		James		QLD
TJ		Tay-Leiha		Clark		NSW
800		Ryan		Patterson		VIC
2km steeple		Rosie-May		Davidson		NSW
800m		Alina		Tape		NSW
200m		Jordan		Csabi		QLD