Dan Repacholi (Hunter, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

REPACHOLI () (): The Hunter has produced some outstanding sports people in the past, and it's important that we have support for the next crop of our local sporting talent. Unfortunately, succeeding in sport doesn't just take talent and determination; parents also have to put their hands in their pockets to get their kids to competitions. The Local Sporting Champions program provides financial assistance to young people to compete, coach or umpire in their chosen sport. Sport is important in the development of young people. It teaches them lifelong skills, such as teamwork. It keeps them fit and healthy and it allows them to excel in something they love and enjoy.

Congratulations to our recent sporting champs, Aaliyah Kilroy, who competed at the Football Australia national youth championships; Cameron Gawn, who competed at the School Sport Australia swimming championships; Isaac Elson, Zac Nichols and Eddie Westfall, who competed in the New South Wales Combined High Schools Sports Association secondary boys tennis championships; Ella and Sophie Fairhall and Zane Bourke, who competed at the AusCycling national championships; Ethan Williams, who competed at the Australian all schools track and field championships; Harrison Preece, who competed at the School Sport Australia 12 and under national golf championships; Koby Kattau, who competed at the School Sport Australia championships in lawn bowls; Liam Mackenzie-Smith and Makaylah Grace Fenwick, who competed in the Australian interschool equestrian championships; Riley Burgess and Nate Ebbeck, who competed at the Australian Junior Motocross Championship; Tom Brum, who competed at the national ice hockey championships; and Jakob Thompson, who competed at the Virtus Oceania Asia Games in swimming.

These games were recently delivered by Sports Inclusion Australia in Brisbane, with hundreds of competitors from over 25 nations. These games are an international multisport competition. Jakob Thompson was one of a 41-strong swimming team selected by Sports Inclusion Australia to represent Australia. Jakob took home four gold medals, in the 50-metre freestyle, 50-metre backstroke, 50-metre butterfly and 100-metre freestyle, and also a silver medal, in the 50-metre breaststroke. Jakob is now working towards selection for the global games, which will be held in Vichy, France, in June 2023. Congratulations, Jakob. Keep up the work and training. I wish you all success into the future.

Without the help of these sporting grants, these kids sometimes can't get to achieve what they want to achieve.

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