Two students from Moruya High School have won gold medals at the Combined High Schools Sports Association State Athletics Championships.
Asha Martin and Jaylah Hancock-Cameron traveled north for last week’s event at Sydney’s Olympic Park.
Martin won a gold medal in the 17+ girl’s 1500m and a bronze medal in the 17+ girl’s 3000m.
Despite the gravity of such an occasion, Martin said she didn’t feel any pressure.
“I didn’t really feel nervous,” she said. “I felt pretty good.”
Martin won the 1500m in a time of 4:47.18, almost five seconds quicker than her nearest competitor.
They gave me the results sheet on the finish line, and I knew straight away that I’d broken the record
- Jaylah Hancock-Cameron
Hancock-Cameron won two gold medals at the event, finishing first in both the 15 girls 800m and the 15 girls 1500m.
The 800m victory was particularly sweet, as she broke a state record in the process, something she found out as soon as the race was finished.
“They gave me the results sheet on the finish line, and I knew straight away that I’d broken the record,” she said.
Hancock-Cameron ran her heat 14 seconds slower than the final for the 800m.
“It was a strategy so I wouldn’t use all my energy in the heat,” she said.
“I needed to save my energy for the final.”
Her time of 2:10.43 broke an eight-year record held by Jenny Blundell of Cherrybrook.
A gold in the 1500m, an event Hancock-Cameron won by almost 20 seconds, capped off a fantastic meet for the two girls.
Martin said that running had “definitely been the bond” between the two girls, and that everyone involved was very proud of them.
This is the second time in two months these two champions have found success, as they both competed in the All Schools Australian Cross Country Championships in Tasmania.
