Hi everyone, my name is Petrina Price, I am 18 years old and have
been selected to represent Australia at the Commonwealth Games in the event
of high jump. I am really looking forward to reading the responses you write
to the set tasks and will be very pleased to answer your questions.
Everyone go well!
I live in Bulli, N.S.W. 1hour south of Sydney. I am 182cm tall, blue
eyes and blonde hair. I am the eldest of 5 girls.
My primary schools were Waniora P.S-K, St. Joseph's-Bulli-2nd to
4th, Woonona P.S.-5th-6th, High schools St. Mary's' College- Wollongong- 7to
10 and Woonona H.S-11to12 where I am doing the HSC by pathways over 3 years.
I will be participating in the female high jump.
My qualifying round if required is on the 29th July in the morning
session, with the final in the evening session on the 30th July. No fixed
timetable as yet.
I have been participating in the high jump since I was 8 years old.
I actually started at a school athletic carnival.
My current ranking in the Commonwealth is 6th so I will be happy to
make the final and finish higher than 6th position, it would be wonderful to
medal. This my first major international open competition.
Before coming to Manchester, we had training camps in Darwin, Nassau
plus the Texaco Classic track and field competition, then onto Jamaica for
the World Juniors competition then onto Manchester for the Commonwealth
Games.
I always surf the net prior leaving my home. I research the climate,
foods, exchange rates for money, medicines, medical alert information,
immunisations required, what power adaptor is needed for my phone etc and
the time differences. This helps me to know what to pack. I have asked to
room with Georgie Clark the 1500mt runner. I found in Nassau it costs $10Aus
for 1/2 hour net use compared to my parents having to pay $1/min on the
phone and vice versa. Phone cards are not always accepted. I have taken both
American $ and English pounds away with me. I have a Visa card where my
parents can top up my money at any time. Its not always easy to study as
your books weigh so much you end up only taking a couple away.
Being an asthmatic I need a special exemption form to be completed
every 12 months. Only 4 doctors in N.S.W. are permitted by Athletics
Australia to complete this form allowing me to take my medication if
required- so that if I am drug tested these drugs are documented and
registered. I also have food allergies so the team manager has to be told so
that foods can be added or deleted accordingly. I don't eat chicken, nuts
and can only eat white toasting bread overseas as the gluten and fibre
levels are so much higher in the other bread types. I always check with the
team doctor as to the medicines they will carry and then have my own doctor
prescribe the medications they don't, in case of an emergency.
I always compete in my red hair ribbon and fluro laces for luck. We
are having to use bottled water to drink and to clean our teeth and you
can't drink the water in the shower either.
My competition clothing was sent directly to Manchester for the
Games, so I don't know if my clothes will fit me until I arrive.
I will be leaving behind temperatures of 30 degrees plus for
Manchester temps of 10-20 degrees a big difference. I don't feel the heat in
Nassau like the others.
So far as I know in the Athletes Village at Manchester, there are 43
washing machines for 5,000 of us to share. There are small bedrooms to share
amongst 4-6 bunk style- this is what I have heard so far. Security will be
tight and we must be in uniform at all times.
From "the jumper from down under"-Petrina Price.
Paul Doorn
Paul Doorn
Curriculum Adviser PDHPE
Professional Support and Curriculum
Ph: (02) 9886 7529
Fax: (02) 9886 7655
Email: paul.doorn@det.nsw.edu.au
Web site: www.curriculumsupport.nsw.edu.au
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