A St Mary’s Catholic School student will represent the Polding team at the NSW Primary Schools Sports Association (PSSA) Athletics Carnival on Wednesday for the first time in two decades.
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Natayah Misiepo-Kelly will head to Sydney over two days where she will compete against some of the state’s best athletes across three events.
The Year 5 student will compete in high jump, long jump and discus as she vies for a position at the Pacific School Games in Adelaide.
Natayah – who has been described as a competitive sportsman – will compete in her first event on Wednesday in high jump, followed by the remaining two events on Thursday.
She said she is nervous yet confident ahead of the carnival where she hopes to smash her personal bests which currently stand at 4.26m in long jump, 1.24m in high jump, and 25.50m in discus.
Natayah is setting a great example for all of her peers with the determination and commitment she is showing.
- Alistaire Thompson
Training with her aunt Carmel Lancaster At Rygate Park in the lead-up to the carnival has restored Natayah’s confidence as she prepares to compete at the highest level of her sporting career.
“She is a raw talent who up until this point has done little to no training,” Carmel said.
“I think she’ll go well – she has total determination and will give it her best on the day.”
St Mary’s Catholic School teacher, Alistaire Thompson, said the school is proud of her achievement’s so far.
“Natayah is setting a great example for all her peers with the determinations and commitment she’s showing,” he said.
Natayah’s journey began earlier in the year at the school’s athletics carnival where she took out age champion following a day of first placings.
She went on to compete at Western in Dubbo before progressing onto the NSW Polding Athletics Carnival in Newcastle.