Outstanding:Tepa Lemi broke a
long-standing hammer throw record at the NSW All Schools athletics titles last week. The previous was set in 1997.
Picture: Chris De Jong
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by CHRIS BOULOUS
FOR someone who spends a lot of time spinning in circles, Westfields Sports student Tepi Lemi, 17, is straight to the point when it comes to her goals for
the hammer throw.
"I want to break the 80 metre barrier," Lemi said.
Hammer throw is only fairly new to me. I have only been in the sport about a year or so I am constantly learning and improving."
The year 11 student is learning the ropes fast. Last week she threw 56.36 metres to break a long-standing record at the NSW All Schools event.
Not bad for someone who started Little Athletics as a runner. The good new is the best is yet to come.
"I have thrown longer than that in training but I was happy with the distance," Lemi said.
"I am very excited for Nationals later in the year in Brisbane.
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"I'm really looking forward to improving on my distance."
In the meantime it's back to the training circle for Lemi, where she practices three times a week at the same venue as former Westfields student
and World Champion Dani Samuels.
It's a constant reminder of how dreams can come true.
"When I used to do discus I used to train with Dani and it is good knowing if you work hard and train right you can reach the highest level," she
said.
"Last year when I competed in the open Nationals, I didn't throw as well as I would like but ut was my first experience in the big league so I am
hoping to get back there again and have another crack.
"The long term goal is to represent at the highest level for Australia or Samoa but there is a lot of hard work to go before then."
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