WAIGHT AND SEE IF THESE ATHLETES MATCH TRACK IDOLS
HER ultimate goal is to line up against Jamaica’s worldbeating sprinters and Diane Waight is determined to tread the same path as her Gold Coast athletics hero Riley Day to get there.
Like Day before her, Waight will represent Queensland at the national Little Athletics titles in the 100m and 200m when they are held on the Gold Coast this weekend.
The 13-year-old, who watched her heroes run at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games earlier this month, said Day was an inspiration.
“I watched the 200m finals and heats,’ Waight said.
“I saw (Day) run and she did really good.
“She is (an inspiration). If she can do it, I can do it too.”
Usain Bolt and his fellow Jamaicans, including Olympic 100m and 200m champion Elaine Thompson remain her heroes though “because I’m half Jamaican”.
While Waight’s father Dennis worked with the West Indies cricket team as a physiotherapist and trainer for 23 years, none of his children have taken to the game, with Diane wanting to run at the Commonwealth Games and Olympics.
Her three older siblings include brother Dennis Jr, a Queensland schoolboys rugby player.
The Gold Coast has nine athletes in the 32-member Queensland team that will compete at Runaway Bay this weekend.
Waight, from the Ashmore Little Athletics Club, will be joined by Jayda Anderson (Gold Coast, 1500m walk), Sayla Donnelley (Gold Coast 400m, 800m, 1500m) Ryder Ah Fook (Gold Coast 800m, 1500m), Dylan Devine (Runaway Bay 400m, 800m, 1500m) and Kris Hayward (Gold Coast 1500m walk) in under-13 competition.
The Gold Coast quartet will be among more than 200 athletes competing in the titles at the Gold Coast Sports Super Centre, at Runaway Bay from tomorrow and on Sunday.