Training and competing for six years, Emily has always been a dedicated and motivated athlete. Coached by 2006 Commonwealth Games representative, Mark Taylor, Emily trains 5 to 6 days per week and uses the training sessions as a break from her school work.
Emily was selected through the qualifying height of 1.76m and for the first line qualification, she had to win her National age group which she did in Sydney during March this year.
To qualify for the Youth Games, Emily also had to jump the qualifying height more than twice prior to final selections, which she successfully did in Canberra at Nationals in 2016 and also at the NSW Open Championships in Sydney in February.
“I felt proud to achieve such an incredible feat. I enjoyed travelling with the team and being able to support everyone else who was competing,” said Emily.
Since a young age, Emily has had a strong passion for sports. “When I was 9 years old, I competed in Little Athletics, where I sought advice and tips to improve my technique and style. Although I struggled at first, I soon became a true competitor in the event,” she said.
The Year 12 student currently holds the high jump record in every age group of Athletics in the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle. She has recently gone on to compete in the Open Nationals and the Junior Nationals in March.
While studying Biomedical Engineering at university next year, Emily hopes to continue pursuing her passion for high jump and would love to experience the Commonwealth Games again.
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