Telaya is at Nationals bringing light to the track

Paralympian Telaya Blacksmith kicked off her crammed Australian Athletics Championships schedule by seizing a brilliant silver medal in the 400m PA Final at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletic Centre on Thursday night.

Before she competed in the 400m T20 final at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre, the trackside commentators Tamsyn Manou and Mitch Dyer advised the crowd they’d be hearing the name ‘Telaya Blacksmith’ quite often over the next few days due to her also contesting the 100m, 200m and Long Jump.

“It was amazing out there,” said Blacksmith, an 18-year-old New South Wales Institute of Sport (NSWIS) scholarship holder after finishing the 400m T20 event in a time of 59.40. “Everyone is trying their hardest . . . it’s very cool.

“The track is very good; it’s a good atmosphere. Everyone is here, and I think the best part about it is I’m competing and I’m trying my hardest.”

Blacksmith, who nominates Sydney 2000 Olympics 400m champion Cathy Freeman as her sporting hero, said she was happy to be considered an athlete who competes with a target on her back. After all, she established herself as a junior star by setting Australian under 15, under 17 and under 20 T20 records for the 100m, 200m and long jump before breaking the Australian and Oceania records in her T400m heat at the Paris 2024 Paralympic Games.

“Usually I’m just focussing on myself,” said Blacksmith, who, in 2024, was named the National Junior Sportsperson of the Year at the National Indigenous Sporting Awards of her status in athletics. “But it’s good for the little ones for [inspiration]. It brings a little bit of light into the track.”

“[I do have a busy schedule so] I guess it’s just like eat; make sure I’m on top of my health, sleeping routine as well and making sure just to go hard and to have happy thoughts.”

Before leaving the stadium the teenager, who was raised 900km away from Darwin in the remote Aboriginal Community of Lajamanu, offered a heartfelt message for the crowd and those watching the action from home.

“Everyone have a good night, enjoy watching these beautiful athletes compete,” she said.

Daniel Lane, NSWIS

Photos by Rachel Tingey, NSWIS