By Marcus Uhe
Berwick’s next generation of track and field stars were star-struck on Saturday morning when a graduate of the Berwick Little Athletics program returned to the Edwin Flack Reserve Athletics Track emblazoned in her Paris Olympic uniform.
Fresh from her second Olympic Games experience, racewalker Rebecca Henderson made a special appearance on Saturday morning add gravitas to the morning’s competition.
For the first time, the Under 9s participated in a race walk event of their own, with Henderson taking the time to offer her expertise to the debutants on how to perfect their craft.
In one of the highlights of the morning, she entered the Under 9 girls’ 400m running event as a walker, to give the kids an idea of the speed she travels during competition.
Competition Manager at Berwick Little Athletics Steve Woolfe believes the children see Henderson as a role model, and expects interest in race-walking at Berwick to increase on the back of her involvement.
“I made a big deal at the start line of saying ‘it wasn’t too long ago that ‘Bec was where you are, ready to start a race at Little Athletics, and look where she is now,’” Woolfe said.
“They appreciate the fact that an Olympian takes the time to come back to the centre – a lot of people don’t do that sort of stuff.”
