Grange Surf Lifesaver Kayla Roe nominated for 2020 SA School Sports Awards
This young Grange surf lifesaver is in line to be one of the state’s best – now she has been nominated for a School Sports Award. Here’s why Kayla Roe is one to watch.
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Kayla Roe has dreams of becoming SA’s best iron woman.
And the rising surf lifesaving star is well on her way to making that dream a reality.
Roe won a staggering 24 medals during the 2019 state surf life saving championships, including the SA Open Iron Woman title.
Roe, who this month graduated Year 12 at Seaton High School, has been nominated for a School Sport Award.
The School Sports Awards are a joint initiative of The Advertiser, The Messenger and the Department for Education.
The 18-year-old said gruelling early morning swims and training sessions combined with a desire to be the best was behind her rapid rise in the sport.
“I want to be the best iron woman SA has ever produced,” Roe said.
“I swim four-times a week in the mornings, 5am-7am and every night I have different training sessions, too.
“It (being nominated) means a lot.
“People at school used to say to me ‘you smell like chlorine today, have you been swimming?’
“But they don’t really know what goes into it and how hard it is.”
Her School Sports Award nomination comes after she claimed the 2019 Surf Sports Youth Athlete of the Year.
Roe, of Royal Park, began surf lifesaving in New Zealand.
Then, when her family moved to Adelaide, she joined Henley Surf Club as a junior.
She moved to Grange Surf Life Saving Club about five years ago and has since gone from strength to strength, making three Australian titles finals and the ski finals at the World Titles.
Roe also won the State Open Iron Woman race at just 16, making it her favourite memory so far.
“I worked so hard and it was a really tough race,” Roe said.
The COVID-19 pandemic has caused Roe to have an interrupted 2020 season as organisers cancelled state and national championships.
But Roe is focused on next season with an aim of winning her first national medal.
“I’d love to move onto the bigger stage,” she said.
“I also want to keep representing the state.
“Surf life saving isn’t a well known sport but I love it.”
The School Sports Awards recognise and reward the outstanding sporting achievements of young people in our community.
There are three major award categories in 2020 – individual female and male, rural and metropolitan, primary and secondary with eight finalists awards.
Young people between the ages of 10 and 18 who are enrolled in an SA primary or secondary school are eligible to be nominated.
To nominate, click here.
Winners will be announced in February.
CLICK TO READ OTHER 2020 NOMINEES’ STORIES:
■ Khai Tran (Henley and Grange Swimming Club member)
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