Kayne Kellett is one to watch in North Queensland

teamtownsville on August 12, 2026

Townsville’s Kayne Kellett is making his mark in the world of Para-athletics, earning recognition as one of North Queensland’s athletes to watch.

The 16-year-old Tec-NQ student competes in the U17 100m and 200m, as well as Long Jump T37/F37. Living with cerebral palsy, Kayne is rapidly rising through the Para-athletics ranks and currently holds Australian Under 15 and Under 17 records for the T37 Long Jump.

Earlier this year at the Australian Athletics Championships in Perth, Kayne set a new Under 17 national record with a jump of 5.10m. His next goal is to challenge the Under 20 record of 5.23m, held by World Para Athletics Championships medallist Kieran Ault-Connell.

With Brisbane 2032 on the horizon, Kayne is aiming to become part of Australia’s next generation of Para-athletics talent.

Team Townsville is proud to champion the achievements of local athletes like Kayne, shining a light on their journeys and the determination that drives their success. His rise is a wonderful example of the sporting talent emerging from Townsville and across the North Queensland region.

Uwezo Lubenda Takes on the World Stage

teamtownsville on August 10, 2026

Team Townsville scholarship recipient Uwezo Lubenda recently represented Australia at the World U20 Athletics Championships in Oregon, taking his place among some of the world’s most promising young athletes.

Uwezo got his campaign off to a flying start in the 100m heats, recording a brilliant new personal best of 10.33 seconds. Finishing third in his heat, he secured his place in the semi-finals and continued to make his mark on the international stage.

Later that day, Uwezo returned to the track for the semi-final, running 10.54 seconds to finish 26th overall in an incredibly competitive field of young sprinters from around the world.

To set a new personal best at a World Championships and progress through to the semi-finals is an outstanding achievement. It is a reflection of Uwezo’s talent, determination and the dedication he continues to show in his athletics journey.

Uwezo also competed as part of Australia’s 4x100m mixed relay team. The team had earlier made headlines by setting a world record during the championships, although the record lasted just nine minutes before being broken. In the final, a handover error on the final change unfortunately ended the team’s medal hopes and saw them miss out on what could have been a gold-medal performance.

Despite the disappointment, Uwezo’s performances in Oregon represent an exciting milestone in his developing athletics career.

Team Townsville is proud to support Uwezo through our athlete scholarship program and to play a small part in helping talented local athletes pursue their goals and compete at the highest level. We look forward to following Uwezo’s continued progress and celebrating what comes next in his athletics journey.

Porter Gilbride Selected to Compete at Nationals

teamtownsville on July 28, 2026

Townsville swimmer Porter Gilbride is enjoying a standout year in the pool, with a series of impressive achievements earning recognition at both state and national levels.

Porter recently gained selection in the Queensland School Sport Swimming Team, securing the opportunity to represent Queensland at the School Sport Australia 13–19 Years Swimming Championships in Melbourne.

At the Northern Schools Swimming Championships, Porter continued to demonstrate his ability against high-level competition, claiming two bronze medals while proudly representing his region.

His performances throughout the season highlight a young swimmer continuing to develop and compete at an increasingly high level.

With Queensland and national opportunities now ahead, Porter will be looking to build on his strong results and continue making his mark in the pool.

Team Townsville is proud to support Porter through our athlete scholarship program and to play a small part in helping talented local athletes pursue their goals and compete at the highest level.

We look forward to following Porter’s continued progress and celebrating what comes next in his swimming journey. We wish him all the best as he represents Queensland and continues to proudly represent Townsville on the state and national stage.

Sienna Monteith Selected for Australian Under-19 Cycling Team

teamtownsville on July 21, 2026

Townsville cyclist Sienna Monteith is set to take on some of the world’s best young cyclists after earning selection in the Australian Under-19 team for the Cycling Track Junior World Championships in Belgium.

The 17-year-old has been selected to compete in three track events: The Elimination, The Madison and The Points, giving her the opportunity to represent Australia on the international stage.

Sienna competes across both road and track cycling and has already gained valuable international experience this year. She recently travelled to Belgium to compete in road cycling with the Australian Cycling Academy, experience she hopes will help her as she turns her attention to the world championships.

“I just went over to Belgium already this year to compete in road cycling, I think I’ve shown myself that I can do it, and now I can put it into action and try and get that world championship medal,” Sienna said.

The young cyclist said she is excited about the opportunity to test herself against the best riders in the world.

“I think I’m just excited to really show myself what I can do, and show the world what I can do as well.”

While road and track cycling share many similarities, Sienna says the two disciplines require different skills and approaches.

“On the road it’s more about strength and everything like components, where track is a lot of tactical knowledge,” she said.

“It’s not just about how fast you are, it’s how you can navigate the bunch, and make wins by going off the front early.”

Behind the scenes, Sienna is balancing an intensive training program with the demands of her final years of schooling.

Her weekly training includes gym sessions, track sessions and longer periods of riding, with the workload increasing during school holidays.

“I usually do two gym sessions a week, if it’s in school time, normally one and half hours on a school day, and then three to four hours on the weekend,” she said.

“But, if it’s school holidays, normally three to four hours everyday. And then I usually do two sessions on the track a week.”

Sienna’s selection is a significant achievement and another milestone in what is shaping as an exciting cycling journey. With international experience already under her belt this year, she will now have the chance to compete for a world championship medal and showcase her talent on one of cycling’s biggest stages.

Team Townsville is proud to support Sienna through our athlete scholarship program and to play a small part in helping talented local athletes pursue their goals and compete at the highest level. We look forward to following Sienna’s progress at the world championships and celebrating what comes next in her cycling journey.

Zoe Chester represents Australia at New Taipei City Athletics Open

teamtownsville on June 10, 2026

Townsville long jumper Zoe Chester has taken another significant step in her developing athletics career, representing Australia at the New Taipei City Athletics Open in Chinese Taipei as part of the Australian Athletics U23 Tour.

The 19-year-old Queenslander, coached by Liam Adcock, earned her place on the Australian team after establishing herself as one of the country’s leading young long jumpers. Chester entered the competition with a personal best of 6.20 metres and the opportunity to test herself against a strong international field at a World Athletics Continental Tour Silver-level meeting.

Competing at Banqiao Stadium, Chester produced an impressive performance in the women’s long jump, recording a best leap of 6.13 metres with a legal +0.5m/s wind to secure the bronze medal.

Chester finished behind India’s Shaili Singh, who claimed gold with a 6.24m jump, while Vietnam’s Tran Thi Loan took silver with 6.23m. The podium finish marked a strong result for the young Australian and provided valuable international experience against established athletes from across the region.

The New Taipei City Athletics Open brought together athletes from a range of countries and featured several high-level competitors across the track and field program. The event was held at Banqiao Stadium on 6 and 7 June and formed part of the World Athletics Continental Tour, giving athletes the opportunity to compete for international ranking points and gain experience in a quality senior-level competition.

The international podium continues what has been an exciting period for Chester. Her progression through the Australian athletics pathway has seen her compete at national and international level, building valuable experience as she transitions from junior competition into the senior ranks.

Her selection in the Australian U23 Tour is another important milestone, with international opportunities such as New Taipei providing young athletes with the chance to experience the demands of travelling and competing overseas while testing themselves against athletes from around the world.

Chester’s 6.13m performance in New Taipei is further evidence of her potential and consistency in the long jump, and her bronze-medal finish provides another achievement to build on as she looks towards the next stage of her athletics journey.

Team Townsville is proud to support Zoe through our athlete scholarship program and to play a small part in helping talented local athletes pursue their goals and compete at the highest level. We look forward to following Zoe’s continued progress and celebrating what comes next in her athletics journey.

Jack Olsen Wins Queensland Open Levels Gymnast of the Year

teamtownsville on May 27, 2026

Townsville gymnast Jack Olsen has been recognised as one of Queensland’s best after being named Queensland Open Levels Gymnast of the Year at the 2026 Gymsport Awards.

The 19-year-old Men’s Artistic Gymnastics (MAG) athlete from Gymnastics Townsville has enjoyed an outstanding period of competition, with his hard work and consistency earning recognition at both state and national level.

Olsen’s award follows a standout performance at the Australian Championships, where he claimed the Level 10 Open All-Around national title. His victory was a significant achievement for the Townsville gymnast and highlighted his ability to compete at the highest level of the Open Levels pathway.

His success has also extended beyond Australia. Olsen was selected to represent Team Australia on an international tour of the United States, giving him the opportunity to compete overseas and gain valuable experience against gymnasts from another major gymnastics nation.

His Queensland Open Levels Gymnast of the Year award is recognition not only of his competition results, but also of the dedication, discipline and commitment required to reach the top of his sport.

For Gymnastics Townsville, Olsen’s achievement is another proud moment for the club and demonstrates the quality of athletes being developed in regional Queensland. His success also provides inspiration for the next generation of Townsville gymnasts looking to follow a similar pathway from local competition to the national and international stage.

At just 19, Olsen has already built an impressive list of achievements, and his recent performances suggest there is plenty more to come as he continues to develop as a Men’s Artistic Gymnast.

Team Townsville is delighted to support Jack through our athlete scholarship program and celebrate the hard work and dedication that has contributed to his success. It is fantastic to see a talented Townsville athlete recognised at this level, and we are proud to support Jack as he continues to pursue his goals in gymnastics and represent both Townsville and Australia on the national and international stage.