The 16-year-old won gold medals in both the girls 16-19 years 100m and 200m multiclass races – taking her tally for the past 12 months to 14 medals, including 11 gold medals.

The Nowra High student’s first event of the meet was the 100m, where she ran a 15.30 seconds in the heat before clocking a 15.52 in the final.

“It wasn’t my best time but considering the strong headwind, I was very happy with the time and of course the gold medal,” Symonds said.

She then backed it up in the 200m, where she ran a 32.92 in the straight final – a time which was not only a personal best but broke the Australian and Oceania record.

Symonds, who only claimed a bronze in the 800m last year, credits coaches Baz and Shaz and her physio Jade Basham for her vast improvement.

Symonds and fellow Nowra High student Lara Check – who finished second in the 15 year girls high jump (1.63m) will now both attend the Australian All Schools in Cairns from December 6-9.

Check also finished fifth in the 15 year girls long jump, recording a distance of 5.39m.

Other Nowra High students to compete at the championships were Mikayla Check (fifth in 17 year girls 100m hurdles (15.19), 17 year girls 100m (13.40 in heat) and 17 year girls 200m (27.18 in heat)), Annette Peace (sixth in 17 year girls discus (33.52)), Ella Dyball (third in 14 year girls 2000m steeplechase (7:57.37)), William Dyball (13 year boys 800m (2:24.41 in heat) and Nash Hay (14 year boys 1500m (4:53.76 in heat) and 14 year boys 3000m (11:17.94 in heat)).

While Nowra Anglican College’s Max Buckham claimed silver in the 15 year boys 2000m (6:35.76) as Cooper Thomson, also from NAC, secured silver in the 17 year boys pole vault (3.70m), as well as finishing fifth in the boys 17 year 110m hurdles (16.56) and eighth in the 17 year boys long jump (5.50m).

Other Shoalhaven athletes to excel were Bomaderry High’s Blake Hartnett (17 year boys 400m (52.50 in heat), Shoalhaven High’s Alexis Charalambous (14 year girls 3000m (11:27.62 in heat)) and Ulladulla High’s Corey Williams (gold 19 year boys long jump (6.23m), and eighth 19 year boys 100m (11.86)), Lauren Percival (silver in 14 year girls 200m (25.41), Ben Shephard (bronze 15 year boys 2000m steeplechase (6:58.11), Maddison D’ombrain (11th in 15 year girls 2000m steeplechase (9:07.87 in heat), Lily Winward (sixth in 13 year girls 800m (2:29.98) and 14th in 13 year girls 1500m (5:14.63)), Olivia Greenhalgh (fourth in 12 year girls 1500m (2:29.12)) and Harm Schaap (sixth in 16 year boys 3000m (9:14.98 in heat).