Layla sharpens her times for epic gold medal haul

NATHAN TAYLOR

While her friends were kicking back at the movies or attending the Easter Show during the recent school holidays, Cranebrook teenager Layla Sharp was winning gold medals all over the country.

The 15-year-old para-athlete enjoyed a spectacular fortnight, competing at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Brisbane and the Australian Little Athletics Championships in Melbourne. Racing in the T38 classification for athletes with cerebral palsy, Layla won back-to-back gold medals in the 400m and 800m in Brisbane, while down in Melbourne she secured gold in the 100m, 200m and 800m running events.

While Layla has run at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships several times in the past, it was at the Australian Little Athletics Championships that she was making her debut.

“This was the first time they offered that event to para-athletes,” Layla told the Weekender

“I ended up doing a PB in the 100m. My PB before that was 14.66 seconds and I got 14.55 seconds in Melbourne. I’d been working hard with my coach Steve Hadfield to get that.”

Out of all the gold medals Layla packed in her carry-on luggage recently, it was the gold in the 100m sprint that she was most proud to collect.

“I was excited to win the 100m because when I went to Melbourne, I didn’t know what to expect. I knew I was good at the 800m but the 200m and 100m, I don’t really specialise in,” she said.

“So, to win gold and set a new personal best for myself, that was my favourite medal out of all five.”

The Year 10 student at Emmaus Catholic College, who was born with a vision impairment that causes her eyes to shake, has been racing for several years.

Up until recently, Layla was competing in the T12 classification for athletes with vision impairment before being re-classified to T38.

Right before her interstate triumphs, Layla was crowned NSW Junior Champion in the 400m and 800m, breaking a long-standing Australian record along the way.

Layla’s stunning time of 2:35:70 seconds in the 800m Final at the NSW Juniors was confirmed as new Australian record (T38).

“I took Paralympian Torita Blake’s Australian record with a time of 2:35:70,” Layla said.

“That record was around for 10 years!”

While the athletics season has officially come to a close, it’s expected to be a pivotal 12 months for Layla as she works her way to becoming Penrith’s next Paralympian.

Layla said there won’t be much of an off-season as she looks to get quicker and quicker.