Glen Innes speedsters Gracie Martin and Mikielee Snow finished the Oceania Championships with medals to their names.
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The duo are part of the Regional Australia team.
Martin’s first event was the under 18 400 metres final.
She flew around the track to finish in fifth place.
Martin then took on the 200 metres heats and finished second to qualify for the final.
“It was very unexpected, especially to cross the line second so it was automatic so I knew straight away. I was very pleased to be in the final because there were some very fast girls there,” she said.
She came eighth in the final. Her bronze medal came with the help of three other athletes as they raced away for the podium place in the under 18 4x100m relay. Martin led off and was shocked to hear the final result.
“I didn't actually know that we came third when we finished,” she said.
“One of the teams dropped their baton and didn't finish so we ended up with the bronze.”
Martin missed out on travelling over to Fiji last year for the Melanesian Championships but said this year more than made up for it.
“It was very exciting because last year watching on the live stream was really hard,” she said.
“The support from back home was really good too, there were lots of messages and congratulations and good luck which was really helpful.”
For Snow, she returned to Fiji fitter and stronger after last year’s event. Her hard work and training didn’t go unnoticed by the Regional Australia officials and was chosen to carry the flag at the opening ceremony.
“I was so thrilled to be chosen as the Regional Australian teams opening ceremony flag bearer. It was such an honour to represent my country and our team,” she said.
After the excitement of being front and centre for the Regional Australian team, Snow knuckled for her events.
Snow’s bronze came on the final day of the competition in the open women’s team for the 4x100m relay.
The Regional team were awarded bronze after Papua New Guinea were ruled to have changed outside the zone.
“We were all so excited to get the bronze and considering it was one of the last events of the meet and everyone one was tired and sore, all of the girls did so well and I couldn't think of a better team to obtain that Opens 4x100m relay bronze medal with,” Snow said.
Her opening day saw her line up for the 100m heats. She missed out on qualifying for the final but finished in 12th place. Prior to competing in the relay, Snow took on the 200m heats but narrowly missed out on a place in the final, finishing 10th overall.