Boras receives national accolade after historic year

A GEELONG-BASED triple jumper says she was excited and honoured to find out she had been named Female Junior Athlete of the Year in this year’s Athletics Australia Awards.

18-year-old Hamlyn Heights resident and Chilwell Athletics product Tiana Boras said she discovered the plaudit via an Instagram notification, but despite being caught off guard by the announcement, was extremely proud to receive the accolade.

“It’s really exciting because it’s a big award and it’s out of all the athletes across the country, which makes it quite an honour and really special.”

Boras has been nursing a foot injury back to health since the end of last year, but before the training incident was enjoying a strong run of form, which culminated in her performance at the Under 20 World Athletics Championships in Cali, Colombia as a 17-year-old.

Following a 4cm personal best in the qualifying round of the championships, Boras added 16cm on top of her opening jump of the Women’s Triple Jump Final, leaping 13.30m (-0.1) to claim a bronze medal on countback.

Boras also made history with her performance, becoming Australia’s first ever triple jump medallist at any major championships.

“Having missed all of this season, I’ve been slowly working back to run since last year and I’ve started at the gym at the Victorian Institute of Sport, and it’s been quite frustrating not competing,” she said.

“But it’s only adding to my motivation to get back to where I was, I’m so excited for next season to come, it’s been hard watching on the sidelines.

“I feel like the injury has allowed me to really get my strength up and focus on the technical parts of my development and get the ball rolling on returning to next year’s Under 20’s World Championships in Peru.”

Outside of her long-term objectives of the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics, Boras will need to achieve the qualifying distance to be eligible for the World Championships once the new season starts later this year.

A host venue and qualifying distance in the triple jump is yet to be announced.