Cranbourne’s Tara Cheyne is heading to the national track and field championships next month to compete in the discus throw. 56650
By Justin Robertson
CRANBOURNE’S Tara Cheyne didn’t get overawed at Olympic Park throwing her discus during the Victorian All Schools Track and Field Championships earlier this month.
In fact, the Lyndhurst Secondary College student held it together, won herself a gold medal in the under-14 discus throw and was the best performer in her age group.
“I was so happy and excited because I knew I threw well,” the 13-year-old said. “I didn’t let my nerves beat me at all.”
Having only started athletics four years ago, it took Tara a while to find her feet in the discus event and now it’s her number one sport.
“When I started I couldn’t find an event I liked, I liked discus but wasn’t very good at it,” she said.
“So my mum got me a coach and he’s been teaching me ever since.”
John Eden has been her coach for the past four years and has nurtured Australian paralympians Brydee Moore (discus) and Madeleine Hogan (javelin) as well as being a former coach of discus Australian bronze-medallist Dale Stevenson, who recently competed in the Commonwealth Games in Delhi.
But, for Tara, along with her coach, Australian discus thrower Dani Samuels is someone she looks up to.
“I like learning more about the sport and I just like how fun it is to do,” she said.
“Watching Dani Sam-uels and her technique and the way she goes about it, it’s someone I idolise.”
Under the watchful eye of Eden, Tara trains seven days per week that includes a full day of athletics at Ballam Park Frankston with her Little Athletics club St John’s.
Next month Tara will be competing at the Australian All Schools Track and Field Championships as part of team Victoria, a squad of 154 athletes from across the state.
“I want to go well in nationals this year, because I’ve qualified and I want to go as far as I can,” she said.
“I just want to throw my best on the day and hopefully throw a PB.”
While Tara is gearing up for her national championship campaign, three local athletes have also qualified to represent Victoria based on stellar results from the state championships.
Beaconhills College student Mikaela Davis (Narre Warren South) claimed silver in the under-14 200-metre dash and a fourth in the 100-metre sprint.
Leilani Clarken from Doveton who attends St John’s College won gold in the under-18 hammer throw and came second in the shot put and Jordan Prior (Pearcedale) from Elizabeth Murdoch College came second in the under-16 hammer throw.
