Quirindi High School golden girl Lacie Quigley shrugged off an ankle injury that kept her sidelined for several months to be crowned the NSW All Schools under-14s girls cross-country champion in Sydney on Friday.
Representing North West, the distance star clocked 14mins 44.9secs for the 4km event to defend her All Schools title.
The Year 9 student also qualified to compete at the nationals on the Sunshine Coast in August with her time the fourth fastest for the 14s and 15s age groups combined.
After tearing three ligaments in her ankle, Quigley’s mother Megan said she was told she possibly wouldn’t run to her potential this year, but that isn’t looking the case. Quigley’s All Schools success came after she won gold in the 15-years division at the recent state Short Course Championships.
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She also raced at the NSW State Road Relay Championships, and ran the fastest time for her under-16 age group to help her Newcastle team take the gold.
Quigley wasn’t the only member of her family to compete on Friday, and finish in the top 10, with younger brother Logan (St Joseph’s Quirindi) placing eighth in his 12/13-years boys race.
There was a strong local representation at Eastern Creek with Quirindi High’s Taylah Douglas (16-years girls), Emily Butler and Ashya McCrae (15-years girls), Gunnedah South’s Chad Fisher, Finnegan Leader, Joshua Casey (11-years boys), Bella Sawyer (11-years girls), Oliver Shoesmith (8/9-years boys) and Harry Ryman (10-years boys), Spring Ridge’s Wylie Hockey (12/13-years boys), Quirindi Public’s Lucy Scanlon (12/13-years girls) and Gunnedah High’s Bella Byrne (12-years girls) all qualifying to represent North West.
