Delta Amidzovski and Felicity Wilson-Haffenden are making their mark on their respective sports, with the two talented young athletes the next to be featured in our Year of Youth series.
Amidzovski, 16, is taking the athletics world by storm while Wilson-Haffenden, 17, a late starter to cycling, is nonetheless impressing with a recent string of competition success.
For Amidzovski, athletics was almost a given as the long jump and hurdler fondly recalls joining little athletics from a young age, with her current club providing an impactful and positive sporting environment.
“My parents signed me up for Albion Park Little Athletics when I was three… they tell me I ran before I walked and was an extremely active kid, so athletics was the best option for me,” Amidzovski said.
“I currently train with the Roger Fabri Speed Academy and my squad is called the Ramjets… it’s an extremely inspiring and uplifting training team that has supported me throughout my journey.”
With a recent berth at the World U20 Championships in 2022, her most memorable achievement to date, Amidzovski has her sights set firmly on future Australian representation at international events.
“My dreams for the future would definitely be to make both the Youth and Open Commonwealth Teams for athletics… although my biggest ambition is to compete in the Olympics!”
Wilson-Haffenden echoes Amidzovski’s goals, while also eyeing off some off cycling’s biggest global competitions.
“I would love to one day be on the Commonwealth Games team… and making a world tour team in Europe and racing Tour de France Femme or Tour of Flanders would also be incredible.”
Her recent success has been one for the books, made all the more remarkable by her late introduction to cycling, only taking up the sport in the last few years.
“I started riding to keep fit and the Tasmanian Institute of Sport (TIS) had a talent identification day, so I went along to see what it was like; turning up in my sneakers and running shorts I had no idea what I was doing but pretty quickly fell in love with cycling,” Wilson-Haffenden said.
Competing in both road and track disciplines and considering her favourite events to be the time trial and individual pursuit, Wilson-Haddenden recently had the opportunity to compete at the 2023 Road Nationals, claiming three medals in the process.
“[Road Nationals 2023] has to be my most memorable achievement. After winning silver in the criterium on Day 1, I then won gold in the road race which was something I never expected.”
“Backing it up with gold in the Time Trial made for an unforgettable nationals and better yet was the way all my teammates were waiting at the finish line to celebrate.”
Both are passionate about helping others, with Amidzovski a part of the Mini Vinnies Program, supporting the Saint Vincent de Paul program, while Wilson-Haffenden also volunteers through Saint Vincent de Paul.
The Commonwealth has declared 2023 as The Year of Youth, with the 12 months devoted to the celebration and empowerment of the 1.5 billion under-30s living in the Commonwealth.
2023 also sees the resumption of the Commonwealth Youth Games, with the seventh edition of the Games taking place in Trinidad and Tobago from 4 – 11 August.
