Annie McGuire, Year 11 student, will be jumping for Australia next week at the Oceania Championship. We wish her the very best of luck.

Thank you to the QT for sharing her story. You can read the full story below, or visit the QT Website.

Ipswich student jumps into Fiji challenge

BEING so ambitious and focused, Annie McGuire hopes to one day represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games or Olympics.
With a personal best leap of 5.90 metres, the Ipswich teenager is well on track.
However, for the next week, the national long jump champion's sights are set firmly on another goal.
That is trying to set another personal best at the Oceania championships in Fiji.
McGuire, 16, is part of the Australian open and under-20 team preparing for the overseas trip.
"It's a huge experience for me,'' she said. "It's my first international one so it's pretty exciting.''
The Lockyer District Athletics Club jumper will line up in under 20 competition.
"It will be good to go with the older girls, who can teach me and help me do well,'' she said.
Karrabin-based McGuire will compete in Fiji next Thursday.
While her latest competition is expected to be of a higher standard, she has been competing against older athletes at previous Australian championships.
"I'm definitely expecting a PB again I guess,'' she said, preparing to leave on Monday.
The West Moreton Anglican College year 11 student has been encouraged by her improvement in recent years.
From her 5.29m jumps in 2015, she's progressed close to the 6m mark.
The Athletics Australia under 17 squad member recently won her under-18 long jump event at the national titles, achieving her personal best distance.
"That was pleasing, especially because I had to compete with the older girls,'' she said.
Apart from athletics, McGuire also enjoys touch football where she has made school representative teams.
Her favourite athlete is record-breaking Australian long jumper Brooke Stratton.
That explains why McGuire is so keen to improve her standards.
"Just the competitiveness of it. I am so competitive,'' she said, when asked what's the most enjoyable part of her sport.
"I like the feeling of doing well.''
But with that comes the toughest part of athletics.
"Qualifying for the big events. There's all that pressure on you,'' she said. "You have to deal with it.''
As for her future international ambitions, McGuire projects a positive perspective.
"I'm actually on track,'' she said.
"To get to the Olympics, or qualifying, you have to be doing like 5.90 (her current PB).
"I'll keep going.''

Supportive mum asked to watch outside stadium
Fiji-bound Annie McGuire is happy her family is heading overseas to share in her memorable moment.
However, her supportive mum Roslyn is under strict instructions for the trip.
"My mother is not allowed to watch me (compete),'' Annie laughed. "She has to stay outside of the stadium.''
Roslyn joked she would also stay well clear of the Australian team bus in her family's hire car to ensure Annie has the best chance of success.
Those rituals aside, Annie likes to wear her special ear rings at major competitions.
The Ipswich teenager acknowledges the support of her parents, older sister Madeline and especially her long-time coach Bailey Pashley.
She's worked with Pashley throughout her athletics career, after starting with Little Athletics and joining the Ipswich club at Bill Paterson Oval before moving to the newly-formed Lockyer District group.
"He definitely supports me a lot and gets me ready,'' McGuire said of her coach.
"He just does trainings whenever I'm free and he really works well with me.
"It's a very tiny club but we've all been very successful and work hard and do well.''
McGuire is current Lockyer club champion.
In addition to training, she's juggling a demanding schedule at school.
"It's very hard to balance it,'' the year 11 student said.
However, she enjoys her athletics along with her favourite subjects maths and biology.
"I have been looking at like sports psychology and sports science,'' she said of her future career goals.

Story Credit - David Lems, QT