Matildas started their sporting journey with NSW Little Athletics

20 March 2026

Matildas started their sporting journey with NSW Little Athletics

Tomorrow night as the Matildas trot out on to Stadium Australia for the Asian Cup final against Japan, we can reflect on the impact NSW Little Athletics has had on the start of the sporting journey of some of the players. Just 500 metres away, at the Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre, a couple of decades ago, Alanna Kennedy, Caitlin Foord, Emily Van Egmond, Ellie Carpernter, Courtney Nevin and others competed in the NSW Little Athletics Championships. Even the Executive Director of Football and Deputy CEO Heather Garriock was a NSW Little Athlete.

The Centres they were members of were:
Caitlin Foord - Lake Illawarra Athletics Centre Inc 
Alanna Kennedy - Ambarvale Little Athletics NSW 
Emily Van Egmond - Eastlakes Athletics Centre 
Ellie Carpernter - Cowra Little Athletics, Dapto Little Athletics and Girraween Little Athletics 
Courtney Nevin - Riverstone Little Athletics

Caitlin Foord and Alanna Kennedy, just three months apart in age, competed against each other at the State Championships over a few years. In 2004, in the U9s, Caitlin won the 60m hurdles and Allanna was fifth. Caitlin also was second in the 800m and third in the long jump, while Alanna won the high jump. Alanna would win another high jump title in the U10s and was second in the U11s. Over the years Caitlin also competitive in the 1500m and long jump.

Ellie Carpenter was a good sprinter winning a silver in the U10 70m in 2010. That same year she was fifth in the 100m in a race won by future Olympian Kristie Edwards.

David Tarbotton for NSW Athletics
Image: Caitlin Foord competing at the NSW Little Athletics Championships