Broome athletes taste success as home track hosts Pilbara, Kimberley teams for North West Championships

The bar was set high last weekend at the Broome Little Athletics Centre’s North West Championships athletics competition at Broome Recreation and Aquatic Centre. Some 175 athletes from across the North West took part in the competition, eclipsing last year’s entries, with participants from Broome, Derby, Karratha, Newman, Hedland and Ashburton. On Saturday, Broome’s Aida Groenenberg took home gold in the discus throw U12 girls’ category, throwing 15.42m. Broome’s Ezra Webb won the U12 boys’ category with a throw of 16.46m. Broome’s Alexander Keating won gold in the U15 boys’ 100m hurdles with a lightning run of 21.01 seconds. Broome’s Ayanna Hayter Otaola finished first in the U15 girls’ 90m hurdles in 16.49sec. Pictured is Broome’s Kaiani Connelly, 12. Later on, Hedland’s Lincoln Vile won the boys’ U14 javelin with a throw of 30.02m, surpassing competitors in the older U15 age category. Broome’s Annabella Thompson won the U14 girls’ javelin with a throw of 20.81m, as well as the U14 girls’ shot-put with a throw of 7.74m, after returning from competing in the NT Championships this month. The youngster travelled to the Northern Territory with her mum and coach Kathleen Thompson where she blitzed the competition and won four gold medals for her performance in javelin, discus, shotput and triple jump. The rising athlete also competed at nationals in Sydney this year and hoped to return to represent Broome in 2022. On Sunday, the 100m races took place, with the fastest girl’s run of the day belonging to Ella White from Karratha in the U12 division with a time of 15.65sec, and the fastest boy’s run belonging to Brooklyn Bennett from Hedland in the U12 division in 12.95sec. In the triple jump, Hedland’s Sienna Bennett in the U15 girls’ division claimed gold with a jump of 7.95m. Broome’s Eric Cox in the U16 boys division jumped 11.11m. Broome’s Luke Saunders smashed the U16 boys 1500m race in a time of 5:02.85sec. Broome’s Kaitlyn Turner also had a win in the U14 girls 1500m race in a time of 7:04.24sec. Athletics West chief executive Vince del Prete said the competition was incredible. “Every athlete has aimed to go faster and further than last year, and it's been great to see so many of them accomplish new personal bests,” he said. “We cherish the opportunity to head up here and engage with our community and work with key partners to make sure no athlete, young or old, misses a chance to go faster and further.” “The talent in the North West has blown us away. It is clear that athletics is well and truly becoming a sport of choice for so many kids, and we can't wait to help support them in their sporting journey.” Broome Little Athletics willtake a competition group to compete in the NT championships next year.