Belinda’s Australian debut one to remember

TOOWOOMBA athlete shines in challenging Global Games medal win.

Toowoomba athlete Belinda Slatter with her bronze medal won at the 2019 Global Games.

ATHLETICS : Belinda Slatter will never forget the feeling of pulling on Australia’s green and gold colours for the first time.

The Toowoomba athlete’s big moment came at this year’s Global Games on the Gold Coast.

The Games are the world’s largest sport event for athletes with intellectual impairment, with more than 1000 competitors contesting 10 sports.

Twenty-one-year-old Slatter took on one of the Games’ most gruelling events when she made her heptathlon debut.

The event consists of 100m and 200m sprints, high jump, shot-put, long jump, javelin and 800m.

Slatter finished the two days of competition with a bronze medal and a new appreciation of the hurdles, javelin and high jump disciplines which she hadn’t previously competed in.

“There were only three competitors in the event and the challenge was to get as many points as possible to see what colour medal we could finish with,” Slatter said.

“I gave it my all and finished all events with some PBs which I was really pleased with.

“The atmosphere was amazing.

“I was very happy to represent Australia in my home state and you couldn’t wipe the smile off my face when I was presented with my bronze medal.”