Second Fraser Coast athlete to compete at Tokyo Olympics
Just days after finding out Hervey Bay’s superstar triathlete Matt Hauser would compete next month in Tokyo, former Hervey Bay junior softball player Jade Wall has also been named in the Olympic team.
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The Fraser Coast has another Olympian to celebrate.
After it was revealed Hervey Bay’s superstar triathlete Matt Hauser would compete next month in Tokyo, another Fraser Coast connection was also set to compete at the Games.
Former Hervey Bay junior softball player Jade Wall has been in Tokyo since last month after being selected for the Australian team.
She started in the sport at a nine-year-old playing for the Hervey Bay Cheetahs.
Wall, who has represented both her state and nation over the years, was given a softball scholarship with the Queensland Academy of Sport in 2006.
In 2008, she competed in the Queensland Open Women‘s State Championships.
Softball is back in the Olympics for the first time since 2008 Wall said living in lockdown in coronavirus-ravaged Japan until the Games start in July was worth it.
“We’ve done lots of training here in Australia to prepare for some of those difficulties we may face in Japan,” Wall said ahead of flying out last month.
“We know it’s going to be a long trek over there, we know we’ve got to go through lots and lots of Covid testing but we’re all prepared for it.
“We will do everything we can to make sure we’re safe when we get there and stay safe while we’re in Japan.”
She has played professional softball in Italy and currently plays for the Mariners in the Redlands League.
Wall also coaches many teams she helped her dad coach the under 15s team for Redcliffe and she has also coached under 17 teams and representative teams.
Hauser was selected for the six-strong Australian triathlon team last week.
The young champion competed at the Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast in 2018 and made it his goal to get to the Olympics.
Hauser celebrated the announcement on his Facebook page.
“What a bloody honour and a journey it’s been so far,” he wrote.