CHARNAI WINS THREE STATE MEDALS

Charnai pictured with Brother Cody and mum Leanne. All are very supportive of one another and are looking forward to the next athletics season with the Albion Park club.

CHARNAI Hutchinson loved nothing more than to watch her 9-year-old brother Cody compete at Albion Park Little Athletics.

Content to just watch her brother, one day the hard working President of Park Little As, Scott Chapman, stepped in and asked her if she wanted to give things a try.

Try things she did and from there, 14 year old, Charnai has been an important member of the club.

Chapmans work didnt end there, as he was determined to explore all participation options for Charnai, especially the chance to compete.

Charnai has Down Syndrome and due to open-heart surgery at the age of two, wasnt expected to live, let alone win three silver medals in the Athletes with a disability category at the NSW Championships.

Rising to the occasion, Charnai finished second in the 100m sprint, shot put and the long jump, smashing three personal best's in the process.

Charnai said on her achievement that she competes to have fun, make new friends and that throwing is the best.

The medals took pride and place around her neck, for at least three weeks according to mum Leanne.

She was so happy, and the look on Scotts and other parents faces was just an amazing experience,

Peter Murphy coached her for months leading into the event and along with Scott and the club Secretary Alison Cull,? Charnai has something to treasure and enjoy thanks to them said Leanne.

When she is not moving her support crew to tears of joy because of her outstanding achievement, Charnai goes to School at Peterborough, enjoys dancing, cooking, loves Ten Pin Bowling and Shannon Noll is her favourite singer.

It just goes to show that just by participating in organised sport, we can all be winners, Charnai will always be a winner because she is willing to give anything a go, with the loving support of her mum and brother Cody.

What tends to go unnoticed is the hard working administrators that make sport such a success in Australia. Scott Chapman spent countless hours researching and looking at all the options to ensure one of his members had every opportunity available to them, in doing so Scott you are a winner, as are the rest of the Albion Park Little As.

Keep up the great work&

The state championships also brought success to the club with under 13s Gareth Ryan (3rd 800m) and Paige Fenech (Gold in 400m, 800m, 2nd 200m and 200m hurdles) earning a place in the NSW team, which competed last weekend at the Australian Championships.

Under 12s Adam Gilbert won gold in 1500m and pushed hard for silver in the 800m, while Tayla King won gold in the high jump and finished third in the long jump.