Stepping up in world
With the Local Sports Stars nominations closing on August 26, the takes a look at what last year’s champions are up to now
REIGNING Bulletin Local Sports Star Junior Team winners Leukie Smith and Jess Scott are taking on the world.
The Griffith University Surfers Paradise Rowing Club pair are part of the Australian squad competing in Račice in the Czech Republic for the world junior championships.
Smith and Scott will team up in the junior women’s four tonight alongside Phoebe Robinson and Hilary Ballinger.
Having drawn lane four, the team will come up against Great Britain, Switzerland, Italy and the Ukraine in their heat with a top three finish required to sail through to the semi-finals tomorrow.
All up, there are 15 entries for the junior women’s four division, though 2017 winners Croatia are not among them. Last year’s silver medallists Romania are among the top contenders.
The Australian quartet’s heat is due to begin at 6.48 tonight (Qld time). The overall event, which will feature 57 nations, ends on Sunday.
Rowing Australia deputy performance director Jaime Fernandez was pleased with their athletes’ preparations for the championships.
“The crews were lucky enough to prepare at the Hancock Prospecting Women’s NTC (National Training Centre) in Penrith and also at the AIS European Training Centre in Italy,” Fernandez said.
“It’s fantastic to see such competition at a junior level in our sport and I’m sure we’re going to see some highly competitive racing this week.”