Olympian Matthew Denny, Australia’s premier male discus thrower and Coles athletics ambassador, was one of 23 Australian athletes who visited Little Athletics centres across the country — including the one in Toowong.
As part of the inaugural Coles Little Athletics Community Round, children of all ages could meet and learn from some of the nation’s greatest athletes — including Denny, Cameron Crombie and Eliza Ault-Connell, as well as Catriona Bissett, Sarah Carli, and Alex Hulley — as they toured the country.
One of their stops was the Toowong Harriers Little Athletics centre. Making rounds to visit each community provides young aspiring athletes with the opportunity to meet their heroes, which then motivates them to strive harder. Given the pandemic, every little bit of hope helps. “It’s been such a tough year for everyone in athletics,” says Denny, “I hope my visit during Coles Community Round may have even inspired a future Olympian or two.”
Matthew Denny, who competed in the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is the current Commonwealth Games silver medalist in men’s hammer throw. Denny’s skill with the discus also landed him fourth place at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, an event in which he finished sixth at the 2019 World Championships held in Doha, Qatar.
Photo credit: Supplied
Little athletes were also able to meet young and fast-rising high-jump star Oscar Miers, who won a silver medal at the 2018 Youth Olympics in Buenos Aires, Argentina by jumping a personal best of 2.22m. As of late, Miers is gunning for a spot on the Olympic team heading to Tokyo in Japan.
Coles, major partner of Little Athletics Australia and community partner of Athletics Australia, has provided Little Athletics centers and young athletes with over 3.5 million bananas and droves of sports equipment whose total worth exceeds $1.68 million.
According to Coles Corporate Affairs General Manager Sally Fielke, these athletics organizations, namely Little Athletics, “…provides an important pathway for Aussie athletes and it’s also a place where kids develop healthy habits like being active and eating healthily.”
By providing children with training and the facilities and equipment necessary to help them improve, Little Athletics centres across the country help people practice fitness at a very young age. “That’s why we’re incredibly proud to support Aussie athletes through banana donations and sports equipment grants from the Coles Little Athletics Community Fund.” Fielke concludes.