Junior Sports Star: Triple jumper Jasmine Fountas leaps past her competitors

A HOP, skip and a jump have propelled Jasmine Fountas to the top of junior athletics as the Chifley teenager was crowned one of Australia's best junior triple jumpers

JSS Triple Jumper

A HOP, skip and a jump have propelled Jasmine Fountas to the top of junior athletics as the Chifley teenager was crowned one of Australia's best junior triple jumpers.

Jasmine, 14, who attends school at Woollahra's Reddam House, was selected in the NSW All Schools athletics team and travelled to Hobart in December for the Australian All Schools Championships.

Not overawed by the occasion, she jumped a personal best of 11.22m to win the under-14 girls triple jump title.

So far ahead of her competitors was she that even her worst jump of 11.13m would have won her first place.

The result marks an incredible improvement for Jasmine, who finished second in last year's national championships with a distance of 10.72m nearly 50cm less than her current personal best.

The triple jump is not Jasmine's only event; she also kept the timekeeper busy with an impressive 13.03sec time in the 100m and a 14.03sec finish in the 80m hurdles at the NSW Junior Championships last year.

Jasmine has her eyes set on more representative glory in the senior divisions and will be closely following the career of Australia's top triple jumper, Olympian Henry Frayne.

Jasmine is this week's Wentworth Courier Junior Sports Star nominee, sponsored by Rebel Sport.

NOMINATE A SPORTS STAR:

• Nominations for our most outstanding athletes aged 10 to 16 in the NewsLocal Junior Sports Star are open for these categories:
• Young Achiever: Winner receives $500 and a medal.
• Junior Sports Star: Our winner receives $1000 and a medal. The overall NewsLocal winner receives an additional $1000.
• Team Spirit: Winning team receives $1000.
• Service to Sport: Winner receives $500.
• Visit juniorsportsstar.com.au