Nine-year-old Kyabramite Paislee Walker has run her way to the School Sports Australia Cross Country Championships on the Gold Coast from Sunday, September 7 to Wednesday, September 10 as part of Team Victoria.

After a strong result at Echuca Twin Rivers Specialist School’s cross-country, winning the Loddon Mallee Region Championship and coming fourth at state level, Walker earned selection for the 10 years girls Cross Country Multiclass team.

Walker’s journey hasn’t been easy, born with an intellectual disability and autism, she couldn’t use her legs for the first two years of her life.

Now, she will be running alongside her peers in the multi-class category at the Australian championships.

The competitors race alongside the other divisions, but are only timed against the other multi-class athletes.

Walker’s mother, Megan, highlighted how Paislee doesn’t train or do much running in between competitions and is amazed at how well she’s done, considering no-one else runs in the family.

“This is the first year she’s eligible to compete and, honestly, she doesn’t run a day in her life until these events and then just gets in and does it,” she said.

“It’s pretty wonderful that she just goes in and does her best and comes away with a good result. We’ll see how far this can take her.

“I think once the nationals are over, she probably won’t run again until it comes back around, we don’t do running as a family, so I’m not sure where this running gift has come from.”

Megan said the family had been rallying together sponsorship from Wakiti Creek Resort, Dance Illusions, Farrier Vet, Dillmac Entertainment and Foott Waste Solutions to cover the steep expenses involved.

“We’ve been rallying for some sponsorship in the community because it is pretty expensive for the entry fee, flights and accommodation,” she said.

“I’d like to thank our amazing sponsors who have gotten on board, she wouldn’t be able to go and have this experience without them.

“I’m just really proud of her, and we are still trying to do a little bit of fundraising to help with the cost, and hopefully, it all goes well.”

Megan reflected on how far her daughter had come and the adversity she had faced to make it to national level.

“I think the most exciting thing about it is that Paislee couldn’t use her legs for the first two years of her life, she was just sitting or lying in one position,” she said.

“Now, she’s hit this crazy level of running at this age, I’m still trying to wrap my head around what she’s achieved.

“It’s fantastic that she’s gotten this far, when I saw that she had qualified I was pinching myself.”

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Sunday, 16th April 2023

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