AN AQUINAS College student took out gold at the National Canoe Sprint Championships earlier this month.
Year 8 student Luke Egger won the gold medal in the Under-14s double kayak (K2) 1000m and 200m events and bronze in the single kayak (K1) 1000m.
Held at Champion Lakes, Luke faced a gruelling timetable of 18 races over his five days of competing.
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READ NOW“All the hard work and early mornings paid off,” he said.
“In the K2 1000m we won gold after a good tussle with NSW, the feeling on top of the podium was awesome.”
After blitzing the State championships, winning silver in all individual races and gold in every double race he competed in, Luke said he intensified his training schedule for the national competition.
“In the lead up to nationals I was doing eight sessions a week on the water which meant I’d have to get up at 4.45am three mornings a week and 6.30am twice a week and do cross training off the water,” he said.
“Plus my school sport training for water polo and surf lifesaving.”
Luke said his next challenge would be to gain a spot in the Australian Olympic Hopes team next year.
“The team travels to Europe to compete against the best junior paddlers in the world,” he said.
“I will be eligible for selection next year and I’m really hoping I make the team.”