Nine-year-old talent is one to keep an eye on
There are not too many nine-year-olds around who would rather not eat sweets or drink sugary drinks, but instead focus their time and energy on becoming a champion athlete.
Meet Amy Hurly, a Vlakfontein resident, St Columba’s School learner and Benoni Northerns Athletic Club (BNAC) junior who is certainly a rising star to look out for at athletic events.
Posters of her athletic heroes Wayde van Niekerk and Caster Semenya adorn her bedroom wall and offer inspiration, while the countless number of medals hanging up on the wall bear testimony to her prowess.
Hurly recently became a double South African champion in 2km cross-country and turbo javelin by finishing first at national championships.
Turbo javelin is a training instrument which helps users develop proper throwing mechanics for numerous sports.
It is approximately half the length of a regular javelin.
She placed first in her age group at the recent Athletics South Africa (ASA) Sub-Youth Interprovincial Track and Field Championship held at Pilditch Stadium in Pretoria.
The youngster also recently represented Central Gauteng Athletics and finished top of the pile in the girls’ 2km distance u-9 age group at the South African Cross-Country Championship in Potchefstroom.
Her father Charles told the City Times that he has never met someone as determined as his go-getting daughter.
“She follows a rigorous training routine and I don’t think I’ve met someone with such dedication to eating healthily.
“She doesn’t really eat sweets, no sugary drinks and always tries to eat relatively healthily.
“Amy even tries to make me follow her exercise routine, but that doesn’t always go down too well,” said Charles.
He added that Amy does 50 sit-ups and 40 push-ups three times a day.
When the City Times visited her Vlakfontein home she had constructed an obstacle course in her garden, where she had spent, according to her father, nearly three hours just running the circuit.
She also works incredibly hard in training with Sonja Ferreira, who heads up the junior section at BNAC.
When asked what she hopes to achieve in the future the young athlete said: “I just want to finish in first place at the SA champs again.”
She is well aware though that she needs to continue working hard in the pursuit of her goals, but she must also have fun while doing it.
The youngster is also a capable swimmer and is no slouch as a netball and tennis player either.
She has just recently started trying her hand at hockey and is showing promising signs in the sport.
Charles said that although his daughter is a winner, she is modest and a true sportsperson, staying on after races to support and motivate her friends to finish their runs.
“I would like to see her fulfill her great potential.
“It is terrific to see her discovering what she can actually achieve.
“I’d also like to see her maintain her humility and her obvious love for running.
“It is awesome just to see her enjoying her sport and smiling while she is doing it.”
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