LOCAL middle-distance and cross-country runners Sophie Doyle and Violet Ward recently took to the track in Perth, Western Australia, where they represented Queensland at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships April 4-8.
Both girls train with Glasshouse Mountains running group – Star Squad – and won selection in the U14 women 800m and 1500m events after placing in the top three at the recent Queensland Athletics State Championship in Brisbane.
Competing against some of Australia’s best middle-distance runners in Perth, both Sophie and Violet ran personal best times in the 800m, placing 17th and 18th respectively.
A few days later, the girls took to the track again to contest the 1500m.
Violet ran a personal best and placed 6th and Sophie battled a hip injury to finish 17th amid a top-class field.
“I couldn’t be prouder of the girls.
They represented Star Squad at the national cross-country in Tasmania last year, and now, national athletics in WA.
They’re both going from strength to strength and it will be exciting to see where the remainder of this year takes them,” coach Bruce Smith said.