Dixie Conlon smashed her personal best triple jump distance by close to 40 centimetres to claim gold at the Little Athletics State Track and Field Championships.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The 11 year old was one of 20 Raymond Terrace Athletics Centre members that made the trip to Homebush in Sydney for the state championships on March 16 and 17 but was the only one to win a gold medal.
Competing in the under-11 triple jump, Dixie's best attempt was 9.12 metres which exceeded her previous personal best by 39 centimetres.
Dixie also finished fifth in the under-11 60m hurdles.
Two other medal winners from Raymond Terrace were under-17 Jack Kenny and under-13 Keira McGregor.
Jack won a silver medal again this year in javelin with a throw of 48.63m.
Keira finished off a successful season with a bronze in the 100m sprint with a time of 12.88 seconds.
"These championships are usually held in very warm conditions, but this year the athletes were faced with cooler, wet weather which hampered efforts to achieve their best results for the season," Deidre Hall from Raymond Terrace Athletics Centre said.
"This was reflected in just seven records being broken over the entire weekend of competition.
"The rain was so bad on the Sunday that officials were forced to take the unprecedented step of cancelling 15 events, mostly long jump and triple jump, due to pools of water in the jump pits.
"With 24 athletes in every event, that translates to far too many athletes who were unable to contest which may have been their only event for the weekend.
"Two Raymond Terrace athletes were incredibly disappointed to have travelled to Homebush to each compete in just one jump event and were not able to do so."
Dixie's gold medal has put the ideal finishing touch to what has been her best season so far.
Hall said the 11 year old has been a motivated athlete that has put "considerable effort into her coaching sessions at the centre each week".
"She was thrilled to be selected as a member of the NSW team for the Trans Tasman Challenge in January against athletes from Auckland," Hall said.
"Dixie loved this experience and made some new friends with whom she is still in contact. She hopes to again be selected for the Trans Tasman team next year which will travel to New Zealand."
Dixie also competed at the NSW Country Championships for the first time during the Australia Day long weekend.
Despite heatwave conditions she was successful in her three events, coming away with gold in the 200m and long jump and silver in the 100m.
The season is now finished for most athletes.
The centre's annual presentation day will be held on Sunday, May 5 at Raymond Terrace Bowling Club from 4pm.
RELATED READING