Riley is ready for Brisbane
BY ALEX TIGANI
Riley Rumbel sets himself two rules before each athletics event.
His first one, to look straight when you’re running, has been demonstrated on countless occasions as a student at Muswellbrook South Public School, Muswellbrook Little Athletics and as a junior fullback for the Muswellbrook Rams.
His second one, proves that he has a heart full of gold.
“My advice is to not worry about anybody else unless they’re hurt,” Riley told The Hunter River Times.
“Then you stop and help them.”
The 11-year-old made headlines last month when collecting four medals in the multi-class section of the PSSA State Athletics Championships on October 19-20.
He endured rain to collect a silver in the 200m final before securing a gold in the shot putt competition.
He then added another two silver medals in Discus and the 100m and came awfully close to adding a bronze when finishing fourth on the Long Jump.
“He is someone who has really been a great athlete for us,”Muswellbrook South Public School principal Glen Kite told The Hunter River Times.
“But it is not so much for the school, I am proud of what Ryan has achieved for both himself and his family.
“The community more broadly.”
Countless students tuned in to the live stream of the PSSA 100m final across the school’s many classrooms.
Cheers poured from the school the adjacent golf course as Riley charged down the track.
As a result of his success, he qualified for this week’s national championships.
It was at this point, a GoFundMe page was set up to support the Year 5 student to reach the Brisbane based event.
“The community have been incredibly supportive in terms of providing some money for the expenses,” Mr Kite continued.
“Even for the State Championships he had to be down in Sydney for close to a week and with accommodation, transport, money is tight in a big family for all of us.
“Then to get him up to Brisbane, it is thousands of dollars.
“As soon as we started that fundraising the community just jumped on, without that support from the community Riley probably wouldn’t have been able to go.”
Thankfully, Riley has arrived in Queensland. Regardless of his results, he has already made the region proud as the Upper Hunter’s sole representative.
“I think I’ll go really well because I will have my mum and dad cheering me on, I want to make them proud,” Riley concluded.