By JARROD POTTER
IT IS pretty hard to stop Olivia Weston adding new sports to her already impressive athletics resume.
The Menzies Creek athlete, 17, has already been a state champion on the bike, a HPV mainstay and also loves to dabble in netball and mountain-biking.
But her latest passion came with a ticket to the national championships, after she qualified to represent Athletics Victoria at the National Cross Country Championships in Canberra.
Weston earned her place after a top-10 finish at the Victorian All Schools Cross Country Championships in the Under 18s Girls category.
“I raced against all the other girls in my age group – Under 18s – and from there, it was the top 10 that get picked and go straight into the national championships and I placed fourth in my age group,” Weston said.
“Last year I just missed out, so this year I really wanted to make it and I never want to put things in my head at the start of the race, but when I did get in I was pretty happy.”
She goes in with a clear mind and a great focus on each step around the Stromlo Forest course … other than that, she’s trying not to get ahead of herself.
“I guess it’s my first race doing the nationals, so I think just doing my best and my coaches will help me get prepared for it,” Weston said.
“Chris and Anna Macdonald – they’ve helped me do my personal best – but I’m not trying to expect anything though.”
But what about the dreaded ‘choice’ that a lot of young dual-sportspeople seem to go through at her age.
Well … Weston isn’t picking anything that stops her pursuing the next great sporting opportunity and she thinks her multi-faceted sporting life gives her great advantages.
“You need endurance and great fitness for all of these sports and it definitely helps (playing different sports),” Weston said.
“I’ve been playing centre and wing attack in netball and need a lot of running for that.
“I’ve enjoyed all of them, but I’ve been doing more and more running and I’m really enjoying it.
“I want to keep doing all the different sports I’ve been doing and not just focus on one … and hopefully do my best in all of them.
“I’ve had an active family and the school has always been into sport too, so I’ve always loved sport and getting outdoors so I guess it’s a good fit.”
She wanted to thank her parents, the school and her coaches, Chris and Anna Macdonald, for their support.
Weston’s campaign at the Stromlo Forest cross country course in Canberra begins on Saturday, 20 August.
