Running with heart

By Meg Kennedy

Just last year, young Bacchus Marsh resident Evelyn Grant couldn’t walk 100-metres without being short of breath and was recovering from cardiac surgery.

Now, the five-year old has completed her first weeks at Bacchus Marsh Little Athletics.

As a baby, Evelyn was diagnosed with an atrial septal defect – also known as a hole in the heart.

“When she was about three and a half she started to slow right down, she couldn’t walk through the supermarket anymore – we had to dig the pram back out, all those sorts of things,” said Mum Allison Grant.

As a result of her condition Evelyn has an implant in her heart, returns to the Royal Children’s Hospital every 12-months, and will be monitored for the rest of her life.

She spent last Little Aths season watching and cheering big sister Mathilde on from the sidelines, but now gets to compete as well.

Ms Grant said seeing Evelyn sprint at her first tournament on Saturday, 5 October was “quite overwhelming.”

As she is a registrar of the club, Ms Grant had to run down to the field to make sure she didn’t miss Evelyn’s race.

“I was really concerned that I would miss it, because we were so busy, but it just happened to be the right timing…and I shot down to watch her run,” she said.

“It was kind of as she crossed the finish line that it hit me what a big step that really was for her.”

Asking the little athlete what her favourite activity was, Ms Grant said Evelyn loves jumping hurdles, winning the hurdles competition in her first Little Aths day.

“I am sure she is in it for the long term. She has loved the last two weeks, and she cannot wait to get there [next tournament], so I have no doubt that she will be there for the long haul,” said Ms Grant.

“You can’t slow her down – now she’s like the Energizer bunny!”

For more information on Bacchus Marsh Little Athletics, visit www.bacchusmarshlittleathletics.org.au/.