RILEY RACES AWAY WITH BULLETIN’S TOP GONG
GET used to hearing the name Riley Day.
The Beaudesert teen, who this year has run with Usain Bolt, won two gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games and made her senior international debut, is being hailed as one of Australia’s greatest sprinters of all time.
Day was crowned the junior sports star of the year at the Quest Community News and Gold Coast Bulletin Local Sports Star awards in Brisbane last night to become Queensland’s representative in the national final.
She won the Bulletin gong before edging out athletes from throughout greater Brisbane to be recognised as Queensland’s top junior athlete at the News Corp event.
The 17-year-old hopes to be charging down the straight at the Commonwealth Games in just five months’ time. Day’s unflappable nature is matched only by her humility, said her coach Donna Thomas.
“She doesn’t big-note herself, she just takes it all in her stride and you wouldn’t even know really that she’s such a champion,” Thomas said.
“She likes to keep to herself and she’s just your typical quiet country girl.”
That doesn’t mean Day and Thomas have no hunger for success. “I’d hate to put any pressure on her but ... the sky’s the limit really.”
In other awards last night, Zoe Poulis won the Bulletin’s young sporting spirit award, with Broadbeach United’s under-16 soccer side winning the team sporting spirit award. Griffith University’s under-19 women’s rowing pair was named junior sports star team of the year, while Robert Blank was recognised with the Service to Sport gong.