Quirindi High School golden girl Lacie Quigley added another accolade to her already impressive list at the North West Schools Sports Association annual presentation on Friday.
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The teenagers’ achievements were unparalleled in 2017 and saw her named the Sportsperson of the Year for the second time in three years.
She was also recognised as the Most Outstanding Secondary Athlete, after a year in which she medalled at both state and national level in cross country and athletics.
Her crowning glory came just on the weekend, with Quigley taking out the 14yrs 1500m at the Australian All Schools Championships in Adelaide to cement her place as one of the fastest distance runners in the country.
It gave her the national-state double after winning the NSW title in October.
Quigley also picked up bronze in the 800m at the NSW All Schools after claiming gold in the 800m and bronze in the 1500m at the Combined High Schools Championships.
Third at the nationals last year as bottom age, Quigley had told the Leader heading into Adelaide she had been getting stronger since the NSW champs and was hopeful of breaking the 4 minute 40 barrier. She accomplished that, shaving over 10 seconds off her winning time to set a new personal best of 4mins 35.02secs.
“I had a pretty strong run,” Quigley said.
Finishing more than two seconds clear of her nearest rival, she really put the foot down over the final lap.
“I ran the last 400m in 1.02 (mins) flat, which was really fast,” she said.
Quigley’s first national title on the track, it sits alongside gold at the NSW All Schools Cross Country Championships and bronze at the nationals after overcoming a fall on a tight corner whilst she was leading the race.
Part of the new Northern Inland Academy of Sport athletics squad, Quigley is - after this weekend’s induction - looking forward to a bit of a break, before turning her attention towards the Australian Junior Championships in March where she will compete in the 800m, 1500m and maybe 3km.
She joins the likes of fellow runner Hayley Arden, Kimberley Resch and Verna Brinskelle as dual winners of the zone’s top award.
Distance runners figured prominently among the award winners with Armidale City’s Chiyo Brown named the Most Outstanding Primary Athlete. She also competed at the nationals winning bronze in the 11yrs 1500m after claiming gold at the NSW PSSA event.
Inverell High’s Sarah Byrne was also acknowledged for her decade of service to the zone across multiple sports receiving the Service Award while Narrabri High’s Ella Tomlinson picked up the Kris Stewart Memorial Award.
The medal-winning Gum Flat athletics team and Carinda Public School swimming teams also received Presidents Awards.
Olympian, and former North West representative Kate Jenner was the special guest and spoke about her early sporting days and her journey to the top of her chosen sport – hockey.
