The outback communities in the Kimberley region of Western Australia may seem a world away from the athletics track of the Tokyo National Stadium or the steep ice of the Beijing Sliding Centre. But on the courts and fields from Kununurra to Wyndham, Olympians Nina Kennedy (Pole Vault) and Nick Timmings (Skeleton) shared their Olympic journeys with more than 350 community members.
Visiting six communities across 900 kilometres in three days, Nick and Nina connected with locals as part of the Olympics Unleashed program, supported by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries.
Aiming to inspire young Australians to find their passion, whether in the classroom, the sporting field or at home, athletes connect face-to-face with communities to impart lessons from their Olympic journey – including how to overcome big challenges that can stand in the way of achieving your goals.
“This trip has been incredible,” Nina said. “Connecting with the kids and learning from their culture is so special.
“I shared the ups and downs of my career – the first World Championships I went to, I came last. Seven years later I won bronze at the same event. There are ups and downs and you need to build resilience and have perseverance to reach any goal.
“I dreamed of going to the Olympics as a little girl. If you stick with your goals and build that belief in yourself, amazing things can happen.”
For Nick, the heat of regional WA is a long way from where he normally plies his trade, racing down ice tracks in the northern hemisphere at more than 120km/h.
“Winter Olympic sports are unique; it demonstrates the power of the Olympic movement to spread so far and wide to get everyone involved and inspire anyone, no matter where they come from,” Nick said.
“This trip has been so amazing, getting to see remote communities, and so many happy faces, not only is it inspirational but I’ve learnt so much.
“Some lessons from my Olympic journey are that times are not always going to be easy - there can be tough times, where you need to dig inside. When you focus on why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’ll find strength and be able to keep following your passion.
“Hopefully the kids we’ve been able to visit will come away with belief in themselves – and realise that trying new opportunities is so important, I hope they grasp them when they arrive.”
With Olympians and aspiring athletes set to visit the MidWest, Peel and Great Southern regions over the next five months, more young Western Australians are set to share in the Olympic spirit.
