Dare said the group’s four medallists at the recent NSW All Schools Athletics Championships held in Homebush were a very big achievement for a community this size.

Nayah Freeman won a silver medal in the 100 metres and another silver in the 200 metres, Riley Scelly came home with a bronze medal in the high jump, Kaitlin Silk collected silver in the hurdles and Brigitta Holland took out the bronze in the discus.

Not only was it an impressive performance on a state level, three Young athletes qualified for the Nationals Athletics Championships to be held in Hobart from December 4 – 7.

Freeman (100 and 200 Metres), Scelly (800 metres) and Gerard Holland (shot put) have qualified to compete in the southern capital against schools from all over the country.

“It’s a big achievement from a country town to have three qualify for the nationals is a huge achievement, said Dare.

“I originally come from Sydney and I remember when I was at school you might get one student from those much bigger schools who would go to the Nationals.

“Here we have four out of five who get medals at a State level and three out of five who go away to the nationals – for a town of 12,000 that is just great!

“These kids train together and some of them go to the same schools and that’s an advantage – they encourage each other to achieve,” said Dare.

That camaraderie between the athletes is obvious when you talk to them about how often they train.

Holland has a more rigorous program for shot put than the two runners, it involves not only fitness but also weight training.

“I wouldn’t mind being a runner,” said Holland.

“If I could run it would be good!”