Paralympian will take time out from training to visit schools
ATHLETICS: Three-times Paralympian Carlee Beattie is back working in the gym after winning bronze at the 2016 Paralympic Games last month.
Beattie is originally from Warwick and regularly returns to her hometown. After playing a lot of hockey and netball in Warwick, she moved to Brisbane a decade ago to pursue a career in athletics which has taken her to silver and bronze medals in long jump at the past two Paralympics.
Beattie missed out by 5cm on gold in the Paralympics in Rio where New Zealand jumper Anna Grimaldi bettered her personal best by 20cm to win.
"I was happy to win a medal, unfortunately it just wasn't my day,” she said.
She is definitely going to compete in next year's world championships in long jump in London.
As the defending gold medallist for the worlds, she is determined to go well.
One can only guess what Beattie could be done at the Paralympics if there were more jumps on the program in the T47 class.
She made Darling Downs teams in able-bodied athletics in long jump, triple jump and high jump but is only able to compete in the long jump at the Paralympics.
"My best at state level was sixth in high jump,” she said.
She has been invited to make some school visits on the Southern Downs with her medals and speak to students next month and the Paralympian is happy to visit any other schools.
Schools keen for a visit welcome to email gerardw@warwick
dailynews.com.au so the emails can be passed on to Beattie.
