Rianna hurls a winner at athletics competition

By Ben Hope
KOOWEERUP Secondary College student Rianna Ripari hurled herself into the State Track and Field Championships after a winning performance at the recent regional finals.
The 14-year-old from Devon Meadows earned first place at the Gippsland regional athletics competition and will now compete in the state competition next month.
“I started throwing the javelin last year after I saw it at Little Athletics,” she said.
“We do all kinds of events at the club, but I really like the javelin so I practice it a little bit more.”
The sport seems to suit the Cranbourne Little Athletics Club members and she came second in the state competition last year.
“I haven’t got a javelin coach or anything, I mostly practice my throwing skills at home in the back yard,” she said.
Rianna is now looking forward to the state competition and continuing on with athletics as she gets older, but doesn’t see herself competing on the international stage just yet.
“I want to keep throwing javelin until little athletics finishes and then hopefully I will go on to senior athletics,” she said.
“I only do it for fun, I don’t think I will be going to the Olympics or anything.”
Cranbourne Little Athletics club track-and-field co-ordinator Annette Neilson said the club had a great result in the regional competition and was especially proud of Rianna.
“She has been brilliant, we are really proud of her. She is certainly on of our stars,” she said.
“It’s always good to see the kids getting out there, having fun and getting exercise and when they excel at it it’s all the better. It is great life experience for them and a real confidence-builder.
“We’re proud of all our kids; they all did so well, especially some of our younger members who haven’t been in a competition before.”