Shoalhaven sextet shine at Australian Track and Field Championships

Held from March 31 to April 7, Nowra High School's Will and Ella Dyball, Karlee Symonds and Lara Check, Ulladulla High School's Lauren Perciival and Shoalhaven High School's Alexis Charalambous all produced strong results on the track.

Shoalhaven Heads' Symonds (T11) claimed gold in the under 20 women's para 100 metres, in a time of 15.34, ahead of NSW's Tasmain Colley (16.01) and Erin Garbler (16.89).

Symonds backed up that gold medal with another one in the under 20 women's para 400m, in a time of 1:13.77.

She made it three gold medals in as many days when she cruised to victory (30.94) in the under 20 women's para 200m, nearly two seconds ahead of her nearest rival Colley (32.40).

Symonds wrapped her busy meet with by finishing 19^th in the open women's 100m ambulant race and 23^rd in the open women's 200m ambulant race.

Ella Dyball finished 20^th in the under 16s women's 3000m, clocking a 11:10.49, finishing one spot ahead of Charalambous, who finished with a time of 11:10.65.

Dyball then finished 10^th in the under 16 women's 2000m steeplechase in a time of 7:42.61.

Her brother William competed in the heats of under 15 men's 800m.

Fellow Nowra High student Check finished sixth in the under 17 women's long jump, by recording a distance of 5.44m - with NSW's Katie Gunn winning the event by jumping 5.98m.

During the meet, Check also competed in the under 17 women's 1500m and high jump, with her finishing 10^th in the latter, with a height of 1.55m.

Percival finished seventh in under 16 women's 100m, in a time of 12.78 - with winner Monique Hanlon, from Queensland, clocking 12.22.

The Ulladulla High student also competed in the heats of the under 16 women's 200m, where clocked a time of 25.62.