National titles beckon talented Albany trio

Albany trio Oliver Camins, Eleanor Barnett and Jade Dimer have all qualified for next month’s Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Sydney after impressive showings at State level recently.

The Athletics WA State Track and Field Championships were held at the WA Athletics Stadium from January 19-21, with the local trio all producing strong results to secure their places at the national championships at Sydney Olympic Park, which start on March 14.

Camins, 13, won a gold medal in the under-15 boys’ 1500m event and brought home a bronze medal after his third placing in the 3000m race.

The Great Southern Grammar student won bronze in the 3000m event at the WA State All Schools Championships in October and previously represented WA at national cross-country level.

“I was very happy with how I went at States,” Camins said. “I’m training four times a week, mostly on my own, as preparation.”

Dimer, 13, won a gold medal at the WA championships in her under-15 girls’ high-jump event to go with a silver medal in triple jump.

The State basketball representative and Great Southern Grammar student won gold at the All Schools championships.

“I’ll be competing in just high jump (in Sydney) and will just see what happens on the day,” she said.

Barnett, 14, won a gold medal at the WA championships in the 4x400m relay as part of the UWA team and finished fourth in the 400m individual event.

The Albany Senior High School student won a bronze medal in the 400m at the All Schools championships but was unsure if she would represent WA for the second consecutive year.

“I’ll wait and see how my times go and then make a decision, but if I go it will be for the 400m,” she said.