Couper to nationals
 |
BURPENGARY: Jets speedster Matt Couper has primed himself for a big rugby league season by running for Queensland over the summer.
While many of his teammates enjoyed a quiet off-season, 13-year-old Couper ran fifth in the 400m final of the State School Championships at QE2 in October.
He followed that up with a personal best 56.21 seconds in the 400m semi-final at the national championships in Sydney in November.
His best was not enough to make the nationals final, but it was an incredible effort for someone who only took up competitive running last September.
The Glasshouse Country Christian College student, who scored 16 times for the Jets' under-14s in 2007, had two weeks to learn how to use starting blocks before the regionals in September.
Despite this, he ran third in the 200m and 400m and was second in the long jump.
``He's always been quick,'' mum Christine said.
``He's just naturally a fast runner.''
His talent has been spotted by John Dighton, a level four sprint and middle distance running coach with the University of the Sunshine Coast athletics team.
``When Matt first came to me, he was running 60 seconds for the 400m,'' Dighton said.
``He basically improved every time he went out.
``For a novice athlete to get to nationals in his first three months is pretty good.''
Dighton has put Couper through endurance training in the lead up to this year's school competitions, with the nationals in December their main target.
Do you want to chat, with like-minded people, about local issues that are important to you? Do want to share news and views about your community? Go to whereilive
