DEATH, DESTRUCTION AND DESPERATION

THE endless pursuit for relevance, social status and attention by this dame will apparently never end.

In the past few years she has alerted all her gal pals to the following problems: her parents are sick or dying, husband is treating her badly, she has contracted a debilitating disease which is baffling doctors, the house was robbed and her secret cache of jewellery, some of it given to her by unnamed heads of state and royals, has gone.

There are many, many more but her friends have noticed a consistency that defies the odds – they occur on a twomonth cycle.

As the fuss from one “disaster” fades, she trots out another tale of woe. Which begs the question. How many times can one person cry wolf before they get eaten?

PAIGE’S JOURNEY MORE THAN A CHAPTER

IT is almost 11 years to the day since Paige Cooper (below), representing North Burleigh SLSC, was named as Miss Summer Surf Girl.

Since that crowning achievement she has been blazing a path around the world working as a producer, shooter, editor and presenter in the broadcast and digital industries.

“I completed my Master of Arts, focusing on communication and journalism, at Griffith University,” she said.

“Since then I have been specialising in the sports industry and have been appointed as a creative producer in Melbourne for Channel 7’s coverage of the Tokyo Olympics.

“My family has a strong connection to swimming and I had hopes of competing myself but

I didn’t have the commitment or discipline,” she laughed.

“My uncle Brad (Cooper) won gold in the 400m freestyle in 1972 at Munich and used to train me but at least this way I will have a connection which has always been a dream of mine.”

Besides that, she is producing a documentary on the National Basketball League she hopes will be picked up by one of the major streaming platforms.

And, oh, there’s another thing that is sure to have women around Australia grinding their teeth in envy.

“Through a production

company called Loup, I was working as the senior video creative for Chris Hemsworth’s workout app called Centr.

“My girlfriends, and some guy friends, are very, very jealous,” she said cheekily.

Surfing a wave of success.

ANOTHER MARATHON EFFORT FROM MARATHON MUM

LEONIE Thompson (right), like so many, was extremely disappointed that the Gold Coast Marathon was cancelled at the last minute.

However, she wasn’t going to let all those months of training go to waste.

Proud daughter Vicki James wrote to say that at 4.30am on Sunday her mother and friends from Paradise Point Park Run set out to complete the 42.195km course.

What makes Leonie superspecial is that she is 73 years young and didn’t start running until she was 50 years old.

“I am so proud of her,” said Vicki. “She finished in 6hr 19mins and this virtual marathon was her 17th since she started jogging to keep fit.

“This was her 15th Gold Coast Marathon and she has also done one in Hawaii and her birthplace of Wangaratta.”

A big, big effort.