Up-and-coming sprinter Taylah Cruttenden and three other Western Australian young players are booking flights to Colombia after being selected for the Under-20 World Championship in Athletics.
Cruttenden (West Track) will be joined by Ashley Spencer (UWA), Etienne Rousseau (UWA), and Annie Pfeiffer (UWA) this August in donning green and gold in Cali.
The quarter is part of a team of 60, the largest Australian contingent competing in the championships.
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Sprinter Cruttenden, who made it to the open 100m final at the recent national championships, was selected in the team that did not compete last year due to the pandemic and will take her place in the 100m and 4x100m.
The 18-year-old, whose run of 11.50 in March on the Melbourne Track classic was just 0.01 off her personal best, said she was excited to compete abroad.
“I am happy that after two years of being unable to participate in the championships, I am finally getting on the plane. I think it’s a good way to finish my junior career and a good reward after so much hard work over the years,” she said.
“In Cali, it will be a new group of girls to race against, which means I must adjust my expectations. My goal is to make it to the 100m final, and then I think the relay team has a good chance of doing something big.
“I would love to get a medal, but the goal is to make it to the final.”
Rousseau, Pfeiffer, and Spencer will all make their Australian debuts in Colombia, with Spencer breaking into the team after some fantastic results in the 400m hurdles and multiple qualifying times en route to a silver medal in the under-20 category at the Australian Championships.
After being selected for the discus throw, Rousseau will be WA’s only male representative and said his selection would motivate him to move up the ranks.
“Between now and (Cali), the main goal is to get to the 60 meters for base camp and stay healthy. Otherwise, when I get there, the goal is to make it to the final and see how close I can get to the top of the field,” he said.
Pfeiffer’s roster comes after missing nearly two years due to injury, with the runner securing her spot on the 4x400m relay team.
“In February, I didn’t expect to go to the Nationals, so to be selected for the Australian team is still a bit of a shock. I cannot thank my coach Lyn enough; she was the one who kept pushing me to go to the Nationals,” Pfeiffer said.
