The Valour State Relay Championships is the largest event on the Little Athletics NSW calendar in terms of number of competitors attending and was held in November at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre.
The championships are comprised entirely of relay events and are a one of a kind event and a fun opportunity to compete with friends and earn points for their Little Athletics Centre.
The best short and middle distance runners, throwers and jumpers in NSW competed for gold for their centre and individual performance scores were combined to determine the winning team in each event.
There were lots of state records broken by Sutherland Shire athletes led by Heathcote's Izobelle Louison-Roe from the Port Hacking Little Athletics club who broke her own record that she set back in March for U17 Girls Triple Jump with a 13.13 m effort.
This set up the U17 Girls from Port Hacking Little Athletics who broke the Jumps Relay Record with a cumulative score of 2,515 points.
The U14 Girls from Port Hacking Little Athletics Centre weren't to be outdone and they also broke the Jumps Relay record with a cumulative score of 2,838 points.
Keeping it in the same club the U11 Girls then kept the ball rolling and broke the 4x100m record with a time of 54.62 seconds.
Not to be left out the U11 Boys from Sutherland Little Athletics then literally jumped on board and also broke the Jumps Relay record with a cumulative score of 2,491 points.
Little Athletics is a uniquely Australian sport for children aged 3-17 years and the events are specially modified to suit the ages and abilities of the children with a wide range of running, jumping, throwing and walking events conducted.
Little Athletics is the Foundation for all sports. It offers young people activities and skills that will stand them in good stead for their sporting future.
Chris Giles, CEO of Little Athletics NSW said this year Valour State Relays received a record number of teams with 1,598 teams entered from 60 NSW Centres.
"This means close to 5,000 little athletes competed over the weekend."
One of the most remarkable events on the weekend saw Endeavour High Schools Cameron Badger from Sutherland Little Athletics receive the relay baton, more than 150 metres behind the first place runner in the final leg of the 4x400 mixed relay.
Champion sprinter Cameron then ended up overtaking the field and just snatching the gold medal win for his Sutherland team.
Coles Ambassador and Australian Champion javelin thrower Kelsey-Lee Barber was also at the event.
John Veage
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
Thirty five year photographer for Fairfax -former NSW Chief Photographer for FCN and now Photo Journalist for the St George and Sutherland Shire Leader in southern Sydney.Official photographer for Cycling Australia (20 years) Official photographer for Surf Life Saving Australia (30 years) Founding Life Member of Cronulla Boardriders Club and Life Member of Surfing Sutherland Shire among other things.
