ITS teenage targets failed to show but the Cairns Athletics Club's Come and Try session at Barlow Park last Friday was otherwise considered to be a success.
The club signed 25 new members for the upcoming competition season, with between 30 and 40 non-members attending on Friday to see what athletics had to offer.
Pictures: Cairns Junior Athletics
Grants officer Wendy Lennon said club officials were disappointed that only a handful of teenagers turned up after the event had been promoted throughout the Cairns region’s high schools, but pleased with the influx of younger children.
"There were lots of little ones," she said.
"The kids wanted to learn because they’d never been in that sort of environment before."
Townsville-based Athletics North Queensland development officer Cameron Clayton attended the session and helped provide technical assistance to the more than 100 juniors who attended.
He spent quality time with rising athlete Estelle King who won two silver medals and a bronze at the recent Little Athletics state championships in Brisbane, helping her hone her high jump action.
The extra attention proved immediately beneficial with King recording a personal best effort on the day.
Liam Spannenburg was also in form, hurling the javelin 38m and excelling his previous best of 36.35m which earned him silver at the same state championships in Brisbane.
Spannenburg’s silver medal in Brisbane earned him a spot in the Queensland team which contested the Australian Little Athletics Championships in Adelaide on April 26, where he narrowly missed out on a repeat medal performance.
The gifted youngster finished fourth in Adelaide with a 37.01m effort, finishing 45cm off the bronze medal throw. He also finished sixth in his heat of the 80m hurdles and fifth in the consolation final.
Lennon hoped more teenagers would accept the challenge to compete at the club’s Student Invitational Track and Field Carnival at Barlow Park on May 16-17.
Students are invited to nominate and represent their school with the winning school to receive a $500 sports equipment voucher and medals to be awarded to top three place-getters in each event.
All secondary students from prep to year 12 are invited to compete and are not required to be members of Cairns Athletics Club. Nominations are required by Thursday, May 7.
For more information, phone Tracey Anderlini on 4033 0747 after 6pm, Trudy Watson 0405 768 199 or Jean Lendon 4054 6854 after 6pm.
