Athletics
Australian Sports Commission
Sport Overview
The aim for Jump Start to London 2012 is to provide an enriching environment to identified Indigenous athletes. The initial program will involve athletes who are currently participating in the sport of athletics at a state level and above; however, with improved training and competition structures will fast track to high performance levels. The program will also encompass the development of coaches (Indigenous and non-Indigenous) working with the identified athletes.
Current Projects
Jump Start to London 2012
Currently there are 31 athletes in the program who have a jumps or sprints background. Five regional coaching coordinators are in place to assist the development of these athletes, together with six regional NTID coordinators. These coordinators work with the athletes and their individual coaches to assist in their development.
This year athletes and coaches of the Jump Start to London 2012 program, attended a number of high quality competitions: Arafura Games (Darwin), Melanesian Games (Cairns), Singapore Open Championships, NZ National Championships and many of the Australia National Series Meets. A number of personal bests and World Championship Junior Qualifiers have been met and athletes gained valuable experience in travelling and competing domestically and internationally.
The group has been fortunate to have Kyle Vander Kuyp attend a number of competitions with them to provide support and be a role model. This leadership and camaraderie has been vital in the success of many of the Jump Start athletes, such as Otis Gowa and Joshua Ahwong whom recently won awards at the Queensland Indigenous Sports Awards night.
Squads
Jump Start to London 2012
Females
- Angeline Blackburn (ACT)
- Jess Peris (ACT)
- Sarah Mackaway (NSW)
- Narelle Long (NT)
- Amanda McLean (NT)
- Emma Rose Daby (NT)
- Yula Monkland (QLD)
- Jessica Carmody (QLD)
- Tammy Baart (QLD)
- Shakira Winmar (VIC)
- Tenika Demamiel (WA)
- Casey Narrier (WA)
Males
- Jamal Idris (NSW)
- Rodney Blair (NSW)
- Dylan King (NSW)
- Liam Gander (NSW)
- Duane Daley (NSW)
- Thomas Long (NT)
- Otis Gowa (QLD)
- Peter Tuccandidgee (QLD)
- Joshua Newman (QLD)
- Joshua Ahwong (QLD)
- Brendan Peeters (QLD)
- Mason Holm (QLD)
- Saul Terare (QLD)
- Peter Harrison (VIC)
- Justin Evans (VIC)
- Mark Morgan (WA)
- Chris Mathees (WA)
- Ray Williams (WA)
- Joel Stevenson (WA)
Regional Coaching Coordinators
Gerrard Keating (QLD), Ken Harradine (NSW), Cherry Harvey (NT), Russell Mathanda (WA), Melanie Juchima (Nth QLD)
Results
2008 World Junior Championships
- Angeline Blackburn 4*400m relay 3rd
2008 Australian U20 & U23 Championships
- Angeline Blackburn 400m 1st
- Rodney Blair Long Jump 1st
- Ray Williams 100m 2nd
- Ray Williams 200m 2nd
- Laura Whaler 100m 1st
2008 Australian Athletics Championships
- Ray Williams 200m 1st (B Final)
- Otis Gowa 100m 1st
2008 NZ National Championships
- Rodney Blair Long Jump 3rd
2008 Singapore Championships
- Otis Gowa 100m 1st
- Otis Gowa 200m 2nd
2008 NSW U20 & U23 Championships
- Rodney Blair Long Jump 1st
- Josh Ahwong 400m 2nd
2008 WA State Championships
- Ray Williams 100m 1st
- Ray Williams 200m 1st
2008 Canberra Classic
- Otis Gowa 100m 2nd
- Laura Whaler 100m 1st
2007 Telstra Australian U20 & U23 Championships
- Angeline Blackburn 400m 1st
2007 Australian All Schools & Youth
- Josh Ahwong 400m 1st
Program Supporters
- Athletics Australia
- Australian Sports Commission
Contact/Links
For further information and enquiries, please click here
Testimonials
‘The best part of AIS for me was meeting Patrick Johnson, being inspired by him and the nutrition lecture. I now know what I should be eating to be a better athlete’. Peter Tuccandidgee (Mossman Gorge)
‘For me the best part was testing velocity to see how fast we can run on the new indoor track. It was deadly’. Rodney Blair (Newcastle)
