Camryn Newton-Smith

BIOGRAPHY

Camryn Newton-Smith’s interest in athletics was sparked watching her older siblings at Jimboomba Little Athletics Centre.
“I watched on the sidelines with my mum until I was old enough to take part,” that was when she was aged five. 

She was inspired to pursue combined events watching her older brother Lindsay, a National level decathlete. Camryn carved out a terrific teenage career in the heptathlon. “I've always loved the multi events and after winning the U16, U17, U18 and U20 Australian Heptathlon titles I was selected for the World U20 team competing in Tampere Finland in 2018.” 
In her Australian debut, she placed 14th, with a pb scoring 5487 points.

Later in 2018 she moved to Jonesboro, Arkansas to study and train for five years at the Arkansas State University. She competed a lot indoors during the COVID-effected years. In her third year at college, in 2021, she suffered a major injury - Achilles rupture. “After rehabbing for close to a year she was able to pb my heptathlon again of 5537 in May and then improved her pb again to 5827 at the 2022 QLD State Championships in December.”

She closed her college career with eighth in the heptathlon at the 2023 NCAA Championships scoring a PB of 5887 points. In August she made her Australian senior debut at the World University Games where she placed eighth despite competing injured. 

A key ingredient to her program was the addition of Gavin Hunter as her sprints coach, to work alongside her dad/coach Ralph Newton. In December 2023 she wanted to see how things were going and kicked off her trail blazing 2023/24 summer season with a 163-point PB score of 6050 to win the Queensland title.

In April 2024 she won her first National senior title scoring 6180 points – the highest score by an Aussie for 16 years. The performance included a massive 1.84m high jump and other PBs in 200m, 800m and shot. In June in Fiji at the Oceania Championships she overcame less than ideal conditions to score 6070 points and take the title. Despite a strong headwind, she set a hurdles PB of 13.43, also a lifetime best in the 200m and close to her long jump PB.

The last Australian to compete at the Olympics in the heptathlon was Kylie Wheeler in 2008. Since the Sydney Olympics, 24-years-ago, only Kylie Wheeler has completed at a global meet (worlds or Olympics) in the heptathlon.

Biggest challenge faced: In 2021 I fully ruptured my Achilles tendon high jumping in the U.S. It was the most challenging thing I have ever faced not knowing if I'd be able to compete again or if I'd even be any good at the heptathlon after that. I spent close to a year rehabbing and watched the Tokyo Olympics during my physio appointments…Sporting Career Highlight: Breaking the 6000 point barrier when I scored 6050 points in the heptathlon. It was a score I've been dreaming of since I started the event…Hobbies/interests: Coffee, brunch, plant shopping and spending time with my family…Advice your younger self: When things get hard, remember why you started. All good things take time, so be patient and enjoy whatever is thrown your way…Occupation:  Student and coach…Education: Bachelor of Science (psychology) at Arkansas State University, (2018-2022); Masters of Learning and Teaching at Uni Southern Qld (2022-)…Other sports: National teams in Touch football and AFL…Interesting facts: played the saxophone for 4 years and grandfather Colin Smith won the Javelin at the 1958 Commonwealth Games for England.

@ 19 June 2024 david.tarbotton@athletics.org.au