Multi-talented athlete bags national ranking
ATHLETICS: To top off a successful weekend at the Australian All School Championships in Adelaide, Warwick athlete Brendan Hoffman took out seventh place in shot put.
The 16-year-old competed against both national and international throwers, including competitors from China and New Zealand.
At the Adelaide championships he placed fifth out of the Australian athletes.
Coach Nathan Rogers said Hoffman threw a distance of 14.85m to take out the place.
"He's not only a really good shot putter in the state but he's right up there in Australia,” he said.
Hoffman moved to the Gold Coast at the start of this year to attend Keebra Park State High School, with a partial contract with the Wests Tigers NRL Club, which could lead to his selection in the team after his graduation next year.
Rogers said Hoffman had a lot of personal drive and kept up his shot put practice with the help of his long-distance coach.
"He lives on the Gold Coast by himself and he goes to the park and records him throwing by himself and we do video analysis through phones,” Rogers said.
"He's only part-time throwing shot put because he's focusing on his rugby league so he's very multi-sport talented.”
Hoffman may be focusing on rugby league but Rogers believes he would achieve success in whichever sporting pathway he chose.
