Langley Sesega and Kennedy Cherrington savour their golden moment at the Youth Games.
Camera IconLangley Sesega and Kennedy Cherrington savour their golden moment at the Youth Games. Credit: Supplied/Supplied

Commonwealth Youth Games: Aranmore College rugby players strike gold

Julian WrightEastern Reporter

ARANMORE College students Langley Sesega and Kennedy Cherrington struck gold at July’s Commonwealth Youth Games in the Bahamas, but it was an achievement Kennedy almost didn’t get to enjoy.

The two rugby players, who are on the school’s rugby program, were members of the winning Youth Sevens team and had spent the past four months preparing for the competition.

Kennedy started playing the sport when she was 10, but sustained an injury two years ago that almost sidelined her permanently.

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“I suffered a potentially career-ending injury to my left knee; a high tackle was put on me while I was scoring over the line at the U18 Sevens Nationals playing for WA in 2015,” she said.

“This left me with fractures in my tibia and femur, dislocation in my knee and ruptured three ligaments.

“I was out of rugby for two years.

“I was determined to get back into the sport and my motivation was my family and my goal was getting selected for this team.”

Langley has been more fortunate, with only a few ankle rolls putting her out of action for up to a couple of weeks at a time.

She said teamwork was what appealed to her about playing rugby.

“Working as a team to achieve the best, making new friends and the hype that comes along with the game,” she said.

The two both have the 2020 Olympics in their sights.

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