Local athletics coach Ritchie Donovan from Scotts Head said Savannah Peterkin and Jacob Phelps, who are both trained by the widely-respected sportsman, were among the top athletes on the day.

Donovan said all the local athletes performed well under difficult circumstances – many of the youngsters were competing against state and national little athletics champions.

Savannah and Jacob proved their power on the field and secured themselves a place in the upcoming state competition at Homebush on March 20.

Savannah took home three out of four possible medals and achieved personal bests in long jump, triple jump and the 200m sprint.

“Savannah is a gutsy little thing. The 200m is a strong person’s race and to her credit, she ran a mighty race for her size,” Donovan said.

Savannah ran the 200m in 29.4 seconds; jumped 4.60m in the long jump and 9.38m in the triple jump.

Jacob also took home two medals and would head to state for the first time next month.

Donovan said the determined young athlete had a lot of power and ability.

Many of the local athletes walked away from the regional competition with personal best achievements, Donovan said – a result which made him proud to be a coach.

“That’s what puts a smile on my face – when these kids go to these events and reach their personal best,” Donovan said.

“I’m just here to steer them in a direction to help them reach their potential without always looking for gold.

“Being a competitor myself I know what the pressure is like and it is not a good feeling to be pushed. When coaching you’ve got to keep them smiling, because that is what keeps them going,” Donovan said.