By BRIDGET COOK
LOCAL sporting champion Kareem Nasser has always had a lot of support from his parents, but now he has received some help of a different kind to help him to excel in his career.
Last week Holt MP Anthony Byrne presented the young Lyndhurst athlete with a Local Sporting Champions Grant to help assist with the costs involved with competing at a national level.
Kareem, 13, flew to Perth last month to represent Victoria at the Australian Junior Track and Field Championships.
Despite suffering from Type 1 diabetes, he managed to come home with two silver medals in the under-14 400 and 800 metre track events, which added to his long list of achievements.
Kareem said his father has been his coach since he was eight years old and he has always had his family to give him great support and encouragement, but this $500 grant would help foot the bill for the cost of the Perth trip.
“The money assisted me in funding my uniform, flight and accommodation for the Australian Junior Athletics Championships in Perth,” he said.
“It has assisted my family in paying for some of the expenses involved in competing at a national level.
“The grant is available to young rising sports people with a passion for working hard and trying their best.
“It has helped my family and myself to fund my athletics career.”
Kareem has been running since he was seven years old and started competing when he was nine.
He now competes for the Casey Cardinia Athletics Club, as well as represents his school, Haileybury College in the Associated Public Schools of Victoria events.
My Byrne encouraged Holt’s young athletes and teams to follow in Kareem’s footsteps and apply for funding support to help them realise their sporting dreams and compete in a championship.
“This grant makes a real difference for families as the grant assisted Kareem and his family with paying for his travel expenses to Perth,” said Mr Byrne.
“This grant program is designed to help more families cover the costs of expenses associated with participating in sporting competitions and support our junior athletes and future Olympians.
“Individual athletes and teams who are participating in appropriately endorsed state school sport championships or international competitions are now also eligible to apply for support.
“I encourage parents, coaches and junior athletes to apply for a Local Sporting Champions grant to help them meet the costs of their involvement in a sporting championship.”
For more information on the Local Sporting Champions program visit www.ausport.gov.au/participating/schools_and_juniors/local_sporting_champions.
