Susan Templeman (Macquarie, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

From gymnastics to touch football, equestrian sports to ice-skating, our young athletes in Macquarie, the Hawkesbury and the Blue Mountains are smashing their goals in their beloved sports. I was thrilled to be able to give out 19 grants as part of the AIS Local Sporting Champions grants program at the end of last year. I'm sure Melissa Elliot, a netballer from Blaxland, speaks for all of her fellow sportspeople when she says she lives and breathes her sport. Jed Drew, also from Blaxland, competed in the national youth championships for soccer. Renee Hardy from Windsor, Jackson Sharp from Wentworth Falls and Springwood's Georgie Purcell all competed in the Australian All Schools Championships for athletics in Adelaide in December. Maraylya's Meeri Lee and Ebenezer's Kallista Plummer both received their grants to help them get to the Australian interschool equestrian championships in Toowoomba. Griffin Barry from Ebenezer was selected for the Football Federation Australia's National Youth Championships, while Winmalee sisters Ellie and Annie Smith competed in the junior state cup for touch footy. Emma Kannengiesser grew up watching her mum and older sisters play rep netball. She has now been part of the Pacific School Games herself. Blackheath's Shona Daley and Mount Riverview's Zachary Hunter also attended this national tournament, competing in basketball and touch football respectively.

Emily Robertson-Hahn from Cattai and North Richmond's Molly Mamo, who were both coached for hours and hours every week by local gym KSTP, attended the world age group championships for tumbling in Sofia, Bulgaria. Molly won gold after she pulled off—I'm quoting her here—'a round-off, whip, double tick, whip, three flips and another tuck'. And she landed on her feet! Molly, I hope I got that right! Caleb Jackson-Brown from Mount Riverview was hoping to impress international soccer scouts at the 2017 National Training Centre Challenge for boys, while Simone Aubrecht from Springwood competed in the national figure skating championships in Brisbane, then went on to Bratislava in Slovakia to the grand prix. She is now on her way to Abu Dhabi to compete in yet another ice-skating tournament. She is one to watch. Kelsey Otto from Wentworth Falls swum against her idols at the 2018 Hancock Prospecting Australian Swimming Trials. Her next challenge? She is off to the Commonwealth Games trials. So there is someone we should keep an eye out for in breaststroke. Her achievements are testament to both her own and her family's hard work.

I congratulate those who have already competed on their outstanding effort and results. I pay tribute to the families for the effort they put in to make this possible for their kids. I wish all of the competitors from the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains the best of luck in their upcoming competitions.

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