Teen pair aim to do WA proud at national championships

Long-distance athletes Oliver Camins and Jana Kriek will both fly the Albany flag when representing WA at the 2019 Australian Track & Field Championships in Sydney next week.

The teenagers secured a place on the State team after winning medals at the WA State Championships in Perth in February.

Camins, 14, won a gold medal in the 3000m event and Kriek, 14, won silver in the steeplechase and bronze in her 3000m race.

After months of solid training and regular trips to Perth to train and gain experience on the running track, the Great Southern Grammar students will head to Sydney today as part of the WA team in search of more medal success.

Camins qualified for the same event last year but had to withdraw through injury and was hoping for a personal-best time at the championships.

“I want to go for about 9min.30secs in the 3km,” he said.

“I train 30-40km a week usually in four or five sessions.

“We train with Jana and Kyle Kowalski.”

Camins previously competed at two national cross-country championships and will tackle the straight 3km final next Tuesday.

The championships will be held at Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre and Kriek will hit the track next Tuesday and Wednesday in her two events, which are also straight finals.

“This is my first time at nationals and I’m hoping for a personal best,” she said.

“I like both of them, but jumping in steeple chase is a lot of fun especially over water.

“I’ve been practising at home with an old horse jump.”