Pre Games Functions

July 2008

This month has all been about pre Games functions, and scrambling to fit them all in around training.

Starting it all off was a fundraiser for Sunshine Coast athletes put on by The Weekender Magazine and Noosa Journal. Retired Olympic swimmers Tracy Stockwell (nee Caulkins) and Geoff Heugil were guest speakers. Being just a week after I got home from Sydney, I was still feeling sick and didnt have the energy to wash and dry my hair. So I came up with an ingenious solution- wearing a decorated hat to match my dress.You can imagine my horror when I arrived at the door of the Caloundra RSL feeling fabulous only to be asked to remove my hat due to the dress code!

Nonethless it was a lovely day and i enjoyed getting to know Olympic Swimmer Samantha Hamil and Kayaker Clint Robinsons parents, who were sitting at our table. Clint was my idol growing up, and I remember getting an autograph from him after he won a medal in Barcelona. He was doing a motorcade with Swimmer Olympian Lisa Currie kenny in a shiny red convertible, and I dressed up in green and gold for the occassion. They came through Palmwoods when I was on my way to horseriding lessons!

Next was the official announcement of Queenslanders selected for the Olympic and Paralympic games by Premier Anna Bligh at radio Nova in Brisbane. I decided to squeeze in a bike ride and swimming session before my mum and I drove down for this event, so ended up racing out the door with wet hair! I am so glad I went though, it was really inspiring to meet the other athletes and to hear my name announced as I walked up to meet the premier. The nova offices were very funky and modern with a bridge in the middle that each athlete walked accross, and blinding spotlights! I could harldy see where I was wheeling. It was also great to see paralympians and Olympians given equal recognition. Th night closed with singer Amy Pearson Singing "I'm ready to fly," the Channel 7 Olympic theme song (you'll know it from the tv ads).I have the song on my ipod as my Paralympic anthem!

The premier was also on hand at parliament house to farewell Olympians and Paralympians at a special grants ceremony at parliament house on friday 25 July. I sat between Stephanie Rice and Libby Trickett, who were both flying out the next day which made the Games feel really close all of a sudden! We were each presented with $5000 towards our training, which will be a big help. Queensland are the only state who do this so I am luck to live here. My family were able to share in this event, which was rather comical as my grandparents ended up brining their new dog! Malty is a litttle maltese cross who they adopted from the pound and frets when left alone. So if you would have walked into parliament house on friday you would have seen our car parked in the disabled spot right at the front door with little malty sitting inside wagging his tail importantly!

From parliament house I raced home to fit in a training session before heading out to a massage and yet another farewell function- this time the farewell to Sunshine Coast athletes at Peregian Springs gold club. Melanie Schlanger and I were the only two Olympians able to attend and I had a wonderful time. I even got to draw the raffle.It's great to know the whole Sunshine Coast is cheering for us!