Academy is as good as gold

Hills Athletics Academy pupils shine.

Hills Athletics Academy members Lauren Jacobs, 17, Talahn Paki, 10, Caitlyn Hicks, 17, Gabriella Liaropoulos, 11, and Madelyn Fartek, 16. Pictures: Justin Sanson

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Athletes from the Hills Athletics Academy have picked up 45 gold medals at the recent Sydney Region 6 Junior Athletics Carnival.

About 100 members of the academy participated in the carnival at Blacktown Athletics Centre from February 17-19, also securing 25 silver medals and 17 bronze.

It has been a successful month for the academy, whose athletes picked up six gold, six silver and three bronze at the NSW Junior & Youth Championships held from February 3-5.

Hills Athletics academy coaches Graham Garnett and Howard Searle with vice president Jonathan Eagleton.

Out of the 10 athletes who entered the championships, nine qualified to compete in the upcoming Australian Junior Athletics Championships.

The academy runs independent coaching for athletes and clubs across the area including the Hills District Little Athletics Centre, which has sent a record number of qualifiers to the State Championships over the past two years.

The academy was started by Howard Searle and Graham Garnett in 2012 and has grown from 16 members five years ago to about 100 current members.

Hills Athletics Academy members Talahn Paki, 10, and Gabriella Liaropoulos, 11, at the Sydney West Regional Athletics Carnival at Blacktown International Sportspark.

Five-time junior national medallist Matthew Rawlings, who was the Australian head coach at the 2015 Inas Global Games and coached Australia’s youngest Paralympian Tamsin Colley, joined the staff this season.

“Matt brings a wealth of experience to our academy and we will be looking forward to expanding further next season,” Searle said.