Lucy Wicks (Robertson, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I want to take the opportunity to recognise some of the talented young athletes in my electorate of Robertson, because we've got so many outstanding athletes who have grown up on the Central Coast and have gone on to become champions in their respective sports.

For example, Tascott local Nicola McDermott, who recently secured qualification for the Olympics in the women's high jump, clearing her personal best and Olympic qualifying height of 1.96 metres. After winning bronze at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games and achieving second place at the recent Capital Classic in Wellington, I'm sure all of Australia will be backing Nicole and all of our Australian athletes later this year at the Tokyo Olympics.

2012 Olympic gold medallist Tom Slingsby also grew up on the Central Coast and is currently defending the SailGP title for Australia. Slingsby's team finished a close second behind Team Great Britain at the Sydney SailGP event last week, and Team Australia will be hoping to regain top position when they race again in San Francisco in early May.

Today I'd like to share some of the other outstanding young athletes that we have coming through the ranks on the Central Coast. The Local Sporting Champions Program, which provides financial assistance to primary and secondary school students representing their club, region, state or country, will continue to support these young athletes. It was a privilege to invite the round 3 grant recipients to my electorate office recently for a special afternoon tea to congratulate them on receiving their grant and to hear about their sporting dreams and their ambitions.

Harry from Ettalong Public School received grant funding so he could attend the 2020 Australian Youth Water Polo Championships at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre, and he hopes to one day represent Australia at the Olympic Games. Harry's older brother and sister, Fred from St Edward's College and Hannah from St Joseph's College, also competed at the Australian Youth Water Polo Championships for the University of New South Wales and were both proud recipients of this grant funding.

Callum of Central Coast Adventist School will compete in the Australian Schools Basketball Championships in December, a competition he's competed in and won in the past. He hopes to make basketball a bigger sport in Australia, and he represents his team with pride.

Renee from Kariong Public School represented New South Wales at the 2020 Softball Australia Under 14 Girls' Regional Softball Championship at the Mirrabooka International Softball Stadium in Western Australia. She's excited that softball has made a return to the Olympic Games, and she'll be travelling with the Australian Diamonds to the United States in June.

Allannah of Terrigal High School competed at the 2019 Athletics Australia All Schools Championships in WA last December in the race walking, a sport which was made famous by three-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist Jane Saville. Like Jane, Allannah one day hopes to represent Australia at the Olympic Games with the ongoing sport of her family and friends.

I congratulate all round 3 recipients under this program and wish them the very best of luck as they pursue— (Time expired)