THEY call themselves the Awesome Foursome or the Fab Four, and they love competing.
Taylor Doyle, 17, of Oakville, Nathan Dallas, 18, of Cherrybrook, Daniel Berry, 17, of Glenhaven and Stephanie Schweitzer, 17, of Baulkham Hills, train under Matt and Ron Rawlings at Hills Athletics Club towards a common goal winning in track and field.
Taylor, Nathan and Daniel competed at the Australian Underage Athletes with a Disability (AWD) Championships at Blacktown recently. Stephanie missed the comp but will be joining the team at the Australian Open Athletics Championships in Perth in April.
At the Blacktown competition, Taylor, who attends Kellyville High School support unit and is a member of the Rouse Hill Ram Athletics Club, finished with a bronze medal in the long jump and came fourth in the 100m and sixth in the 200m.
She holds the Australian record for the T20 (intellectually disabled category) U18s triple jump. ``My aim is to be faster and keep improving on what I am now,'' she said.
Nathan, a member of the Hills Athletics Club and a Baulkham Hills High student, won bronze in the 800m, came fifth in the 200m and 1500m and sixth in the 400m. ``I wasn't really expecting anything at the championships, I was out there to try my best,'' he said. ``It was so hot on the day and I just had to pace myself and get a good time.''
Daniel, a Pacific Hills Christian School who has been competing for only just over a season, had outstanding results. He was first in the 200m, first in the 400m to break the Australian U20 record, came first in the 1500m to break the Australian U20 record, and was first in long jump. He won silver in shot put and discus and a bronze in the 100m. ``It felt surreal,'' he said.
Daniel also holds the U20s Australian record in the 800m, 400m and the 100m.
Stephanie plans to compete in the 100m, 200m, 400m and long jump at the nationals this year and hopes to better her times.
The four athletes are seeking sponsorship. To help them contact Matt Rawlings on 0402233577.