Marczyk, the girl who can do it all | Australian Junior Athletics Championships
Published Fri 14 Apr 2023
In the world of athletics, there are those that excel as athletes, and those who excel in as officials. Then, there are are a rare few who excel in both.
Meet Gabriela Marczyk, one of Australia’s youngest officials and a national-level athlete in both javelin and hurdles.
After officiating a fortnight ago at the 100th edition of the Australian Track and Field Championships, the NSW teen is back in Queensland ready to quench her thirst for athletics, competing in the Under 16 age group at the 2023 Chemist Warehouse Australian Junior Athletics Championships this week.
“I love athletics. I’m not a top athlete or anything – I’ve just qualified for Nationals, but I just love it. It’s so much fun to compete, I’ve made so many friends and I love watching as much of it as I can,” the 15-year-old said.
With a keen eye for detail and an insatiable appetite for the sport, it was no surprise when Marcyzk jumped at the opportunity to officiate when her mother Izabela asked her and her brother Max to lend their hands at the national event.
“Athletics is a family thing for us. My mum has been an official for a long time, I compete and we’ve honestly just had a blast helping out athletes at Nationals,” she said.
“During Nationals, I’ve been learning about how to do certain things on the field like the EDM, which is helping measure the distances and learn timing. It’s been so interesting to learn all the technical things.”
Though officiating has traditionally attracted a crowd older than her athlete peers, the versatile athlete said the experience has given her a unique perspective on the sport and one that will only help her on her quest to national stardom as an athlete.
“I like to see things from a different perspective. I’ve seen how much the officials care about the sport and how much respect they have for you as an athlete on the other side of the fence,” she said.
“It’s also been really motivating to meet some of the athletes too. Like Mackenzie Little and Kelsey-Lee Barber. You get to see them and you realise that they’re not just committed athletes but genuine good human beings. I also got to see Michelle Jenneke and that was really cool too.”
With two events on the horizon this week, Marcyzk says she has clear goals to achieve:
“I’m hoping to get top-8 in the javelin. I’m not a fast hurdler so maybe just a PB and to get to the finals.
“It’s been amazing to be part of it all and learn. I think it’s so good to learn the other side of athletics. I can’t wait to be involved again.”
See Marczyk and the Under 16 athletes in action in the Women’s Under 16 90m Hurdles from 12.15pm today.
By Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted: 14/3/2022
