Golden arm: Ka’Mya Duncan is going from strength to strength in Little Athletics.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
When Amba Motto and Oliver Duncan first took their daughter Ka’Mya to Shepparton Little Athletics they had little idea of the talent she possessed.
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Simply looking for a bit of fun to begin with, it quickly became apparent the 10-year-old was a naturally gifted thrower, and immediately turned heads with her results in both the shot put and discus.
Her talent was highlighted in February with two eye-catching performances at Shepparton Little Athletics, where she smashed a 36-year-old shot put record, before backing it up the next week with a record-breaking discus throw of 29.58m.
But perhaps her most impressive feat came at the recent State Little Athletics Championships in Melbourne, as she took out first place in the Javelin having only competed in the discipline once before.
Ka’Mya’s mother Amba said the result shocked even her closest friends and family.
“We are extremely proud of her achievements, she has hardly had any formal coaching around the javelin, so it has all been her and her natural ability to throw,” Motto said.
“Going down to states and winning like that, it was a massive shock, we thought she might be able to crack the top five, but when she went out there and won with a personal best throw it was incredible.
“Coming into the competition we thought maybe she’d win the shot put (she finished second) or the discus (fifth) – but to come away with a win in javelin, it shows just how talented she is.”
Showing off the silverware: Ka’Mya Duncan won gold in the under-11 javelin and silver in shot put at the State Track and Field Championships.
Photo by
Holly Daniel
Since taking up athletics, Duncan has dedicated countless hours to her craft, as she looks to master the intricate techniques that come with throwing and harness her incredible natural talent.
“She comes down to Shepparton Little Athletics weekly to practise but it doesn’t stop there,” Motto said of her daughter’s dedication to training.
“Whether it is sitting down watching YouTube videos or coming down before school some mornings to practise, there is always something she is doing to try and get better.
“We have been watching other competitions around the country that she might want to do when she’s older to get an idea of the level – so she is just really dedicated to it, which is great.”
As Ka’Mya continues to attend competitions around the state, Motto said the reaction and feedback of other parents and coaches to Ka’Mya’s talent made her realise just how much potential her daughter had.
“From the start she has really shone in athletics, we would take her to Deniliquin and Finley, and she would just win, and we didn’t really think too much of it,” she said.
“But it was the reaction of the other parents, they would almost be in shock, and we would be like ‘oh, is that good for this age group?’ So from then on we thought we might have a bit of a prodigy on our hands.”
In her element: Ka'Mya Duncan is always looking at ways to master her craft.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
The athletics world is Ka’Mya’s oyster as she continues to climb the ranks.
“We have progressed a lot from the open days, to regionals, to states and now that she’s placed there nationals are on the cards,” Motto said.
“Her strength for a girl that age is incredible, so we are just excited to see her grow and keep on going down this exciting path.”
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