Beer to drink in Pacific Games

By Glen Atwell
ENDEAVOUR Hills student Matthew Beer is running hot in the sport of athletics.
The grade six student from James Cook Primary School is bound for the Pacific School Games in Melbourne next month, where he will compete against quality athletes from the Oceania region.
Matthew, 12, will run in the 800-metre and 1500-metre events at the games after qualifying in September.
Athletes from Canada, South Africa, New Zealand and China will fiercely contest the events, but Matthew knows having the home ground advantage will be important.
“It’s held at Olympic Park, and I’ve run there before,” he said.
Matthew has always been a distance runner.
His sporting achievements have landed him a sports scholarship at Lyndale Secondary College, where he will begin his studies next year.
Matthew’s mum Helen said the getting the scholarship was a big help.
“The school will provide him with all his books and lots of other things,” she said.
Matthew isn’t too sure which event is his strongest, but knows distance is his speciality.
“I’ve never been a sprinter, but always loved the long distance,” he said.