THE 2014 Lake Macquarie International Children’s Games were off to a flying start on Monday, December 8.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
About 1500 athletes competed at venues across the city in athletics, gymnastics, swimming, golf, sailing, football and water polo.
Lake Macquarie mayor Jodie Harrison presented the first individual gold medal at Glendale’s Hunter Sports Centre for gymnastics.
It went to Boglarka Devai from Szombathely, Hungary.
The Star captured the first round of competition in the boys’ gymnastics.
In the team division, Taipei, Taiwan took gold while Kaunas, Lithuania and Cleveland, USA took silver and bronze respectively.
Taipei also had a clean sweep in the individual routines, taking gold, silver and bronze and rounding out the podium.
Locally, Lake Macquarie’s William Bradley placed 10th on the individual scorecard, while his teammate Matthew Youngberry finished 20th with a shoulder strain.
Commonwealth Games gymnast and International Children’s Games ambassador Jack Rickards presented some of the medals.
In other sports, one Newcastle swimmer and three Lake Macquarie swimmers made the B-finals in the pool; while the Lake Macquarie boys’ football squad lost 4-nil to Macau, China and the girls drew 2-all to Tralee, Ireland.
Lake Macquarie sailors Thomas Steenson and James Robson finished fourth and fifth in the Optimist and Laser4.7 classes respectively.
On the track, Lake Macquarie’s Bernice de Jager placed third in the girls’ long jump; Newcastle’s Jonti Lanz finished seventh in the boys’ 100-metre sprint and Emma-Sue Greentree and Chelsea Egginton, both of Lake Macquarie, placed equal third in the girls’ high jump.
Competition will wrap up this Wednesday, December 10.
Games schedule
Tuesday, December 9
■ Athletics - Hunter Sports Centre, 9.30am-3pm
■ Football - Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, 9.30am-3.30pm
■ Golf - Waratah Golf Club, 9am-2pm
■ Gymnastics - Hunter Sports Centre, 8.30am-4pm
■ Sailing - Belmont 16ft Sailing Club, 9am-3pm
■ Swimming - The Forum, 8am-3pm
■ Water polo - Speers Point Swim Centre, 9.30am-2.45pm
Wednesday, December 10
■ Athletics - Hunter Sports Centre, 9.30am-1pm
■ BMX - Lake Mac BMX, 9am-3pm
■ Football - Lake Macquarie Regional Football Facility, 8.30am-4pm
■ Sailing - Belmont 16ft Sailing Club, 9am-3pm
■ Swimming - The Forum, 8am-3pm
■ Water polo - Speers Point Swim Centre, 9.30am - 1.15pm
Go to icg-lakemacquarie2014.com for more info.
