10.11.2009

Athletics for the Outback hits Canberra

Forty athletes from Athletics Australia's Indigenous program are this week bound for Canberra to experience life at the Australian Institute of Sport.

Athletes from six states will tomorrow arrive in the nation’s capital to take part in a series of activities designed to show how elite athletes live and train for their sport at the national institute.

As part of their AIS experience, the 40 Indigenous athletes will tour the facility and hear from some of Australia’s best-known Indigenous track and field stars how they have achieved their ambitions at the highest level.

Joining the athletes will be long-time mentor and program advisor Kyle Vander Kuyp and Flame representative Benn Harradine, who has returned to Australia following a year in Germany and the USA where he set a new national discus record. Other elite athletes set to lend their time to the young athletes include former sprinter Nova Peris (Batman), Target 2012 long jumper Robbie Crowther and national 100m record-holder Patrick Johnson (TBC). The nation's elite Indigenous athletes remain highly supportive of the Athletics for the Outback program and are a hit with interstate athletes, staying with the group and providing both leadership and friendship in their time together.

Ranging in age from 13 to 17 years, participants will receive specialist training from Vander Kuyp, Johnson, Peris, Crowther and Harradine on Thursday night before stepping up to compete at Friday night's interclub meet at the AIS track.

This year teams from South Australia, Western Australia, Victoria, New South Wales, the Northern Territory and far north Queensland will compete in the meet, all having participated in the remote program that encourages sports participation and healthy lifestyles through education and training programs in outback areas.

Supported by the Department of Health and Ageing and the Australian Sports Commission, the Athletics for the Outback program is now in its fourth year of operation and shows no signs of slowing down; in fact, the program is gaining a strong reputation and expanding the communities it will visit this financial year.

Participants to have emerged from the program have shown that through sport, life opportunities can develop with some going on to complete a Level 1 coaching course to provide more knowledge in their communities.

This year will see athletes from areas including Arnhem Land (Millingimbi and Ramangining), Broome, Fitzroy Crossing, Kununnurra, Normanton and Armidale take part in Athletics for the Outback events.

Sally McGrady
Development manager
Athletics Australia