Wheelchair Racing has a New Star
Friday January 29 2010
Wheelchair Track racing has
a new star and its name is Peter Smith. Peter
joined Madison De Rozario at the recent Summer
Down Under Track Series in
Sydney as both of these young aspiring athletes
looked to impress.
Both Peter and Madi
competed in all track races from the 100m right
through to the 1500m and finished their
campaigns
with the 10km race on
Australia Day. Both were pitted against the best
Australia had to offer with a number of
international competitors
also making the trip down under for the Series.
Pete PB’d in his 100m, 800m
and 1500m and was close to his previous best
times in both his 200m and 400m as well.
Pete finished an impressive
3rd in both his 200m and 800m and 4th
in his other races. Pete is very much focused on
National Championships in
April which are being held in Perth for the
first time in a number of years at the WA
Athletics
Stadium. Pete is keen to
impressive with National Coaches and the entire
Paralympic squad in attendance.
Madison continues her long
road to recovery and gets faster and faster with
every race she competes in. Its hard to
believe that less than 12
months ago this superstar in the making had
major surgery on her back as she was just over
a second outside her best
in her 100m, within 5 seconds in her 400m and
within 6 seconds of her previous best
1500m time. All of her
previous best times were prior to surgery and to
be going so fast so soon after the operation
is nothing short of
miraculous.
The 10km race is the
showcase race of the Meet. While Madison’s
interests as she progresses her track career lie
in the
distance races, Pete is a
sprinter through and through. I’m sure bragging
rights were on the line with Pete able to just
pip Madi for the win.
Both Madi and Pete have
their focus firmly on April and are both looking
in tremendous shape as Nationals approach.
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