Club celebrates state champs

THE Ballarat Little Athletics Centre community is celebrating the success of two club members.

Paige has become a state champion after winning the Little Athletics Victoria state cross country under 13 girls three-kilometre championship.

The event was held earlier this month at Bundoora Park and Paige came first out of 39 competitors.

Eleanor also became a state champion, winning the Little Athletics Victoria state cross country under 13 to 17 girls multiclass two-kilometre event.

Paige said winning her category was a pleasant surprise, and she is looking forward to see what she can achieve in the future.

“I probably wasn’t expecting it, so I was a bit excited and just happy,” she said.

“I want to keep going and just see how far I can go.”

Eleanor said she enjoys reaching her goals when she runs, and she hopes to become a Paralympian.

“It’s just a lot of fun and I like doing goal work,” she said.

“I want to keep going to try and get into the Paralympics team.”

Club secretary Sam Gent said the girls’ success shows other local athletes what they can achieve.

“It’s about opportunity for them to see the fun, the fitness and the social side of how support connects,” she said.

“We’ve got some goals this year to really grow our community base and out athlete’s memberships to show our children as they develop into the teenage years that there’s a path to representing Victoria.”