SR's Campbell tops competitors in shot put during Australia trip
SLIPPERY ROCK — Emily Campbell held a Koala Bear, received a boomerang as a gift and watched lots and lots of rugby on television.
Those were some of the unfamiliar things the Slippery Rock High senior experienced in Australia during her eight-day trip earlier this month.
There were familiar things for Campbell to do, too, like throw a shot put and a discus while competing in the Down Under Track and Field Championships in Queensland.
Campbell won the shot put at the competition in the 18-19 age division with a toss of 12.09 meters (39 feet, 9½ inches). She bested 20 other competitors in her age division from all over the United States, Australia and New Zealand.
“It was really amazing,” Campbell said. “I always want to go and do my best and win and accomplish something. It was just nice to do a meet in the summer that counted and to see what I could do. Now I have a number and I’m ready to get back to it.”
Campbell was contacted to compete in the competition a year ago thanks to her success at the district and state level. She spent that time raising money to pay for the trip.
Campbell estimated it cost her more than $5,000 to participate and she was able to get all the funds she needed through fundraising.
Her mother, Becky, also made the trip.
Campbell said having her mother there helped a great deal.
“I don’t know how these other kids did it going by themselves,” she said. “I didn’t lean on my mom for everything, but is was nice to have her there.”
Campbell said she didn’t know any of the other competitors in the Down Under meet, which is in its 13th year and is the largest international meet for high school age kids held in Australia.
She quickly made friends, however.
Campbell also had to deal with the jet lag from the 13-hour time difference between Slippery Rock and Queensland.
The schedule also was hectic.
“We had to get up at 4 a.m. for practice,” Campbell said. “It was an hour-and-a-half bus ride to practice every day. It was a long day, but it was worth it.”
All the competitors received one day off to see the sights.
Campbell also was there on July 4, which was very strange.
“I didn’t think anyone would celebrate it,” she said, laughing. “It was so weird, though. I tried to look on the news for some mention of it, but we had basically no channels. I watched a lot of rugby in my free time and basically just walked around.”
Campbell also finished fourth in the discus in her age group.
She said the trip was the experience of a lifetime.
“It takes a lot to get there and the travel is difficult,” Campbell said, “but it was worth it. Everything is very different there.”
