BOOM Port Stephens athletes Anna Taylor-Anderson and Elara Barnes are savouring gold medal-winning feats at this year’s Coles Little Athletics Region Two Championships at Maitland Regional Athletics Centre.

The dynamic duo were the stand out competitors for Port Stephens Athletics Club at the coveted event after clinching double gold in their respective age divisions.

Emerging hurdler Taylor-Anderson capped a memorable meet by winning both the Girls 14 years 90m hurdles and triple jump events`to underline her potential.

The Tomaree High School Junior Sportsperson of the Year reaped the benefits of her intensive training program under leading coach Bob Walkley by also claiming bronze medals in the high jump and 100m sprint events.

Barnes, a budding 13-year-old local athlete, won the 200m sprint and 200m hurdles double in the Girls 13 years category.

After capturing gold both Anna and Elara have booked their spots for the upcoming NSW Junior Athletics Championships (Under 13s-20s) at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre in Homebush from 13-16 March.

Other Port Stephens club athletes to qualify for the State Junior Athletics Championships are talented prospects Mia McDonald – who snared a silver medal in the Girls 14 years 300m hurdles, and Girls 15 years discus silver medalist Naomi Reungkitchaya.

Three of the club’s most promising juniors Joy Schneider, Evelyn Jurisic and Denver Trojkovic will line up at the State Little Athletics Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre in Homebush from 8-9 March.

In a huge accomplishment, the talented trio each collected silver medals to book a berth at the State titles in Sydney.

Schneider and Jurisic both finished runners up in the Girls 9 years long jump and 400m sprint finals respectively while Trojkovic grabbed silver in the Boys 10 years 800m race.

Other notable performances from Port Stephens Club juniors were the bronze medal attaining efforts of Elayna Chesters in the 8 years Girls 100m sprint; Landen Weine in the 9 years Boys 200m and long jump; Lucinda Bristow in the 12 years Girls high jump; and the Boys 4 x 100m Junior Relay featuring Landen Weine, Hunter Travers, Rhylin Green and Brayden Weine.

By Chris KARAS