Alvin Craig has emerged as one of the best young prospects in the country after a stunning debut at the Australian championships in Queensland this past week.
Alvin, 12 and still in primary school, capped off a tremendous week by leading the NSW junior boys to the Australian schools relay title on Thursday - and then learning he had been chosen in the all-Australian junior boys team for 2016.
The Newcastle rookie (top pic, middle) recently moved back to Australia after six years in Sweden, where orienteering is one of the most popular and best-known sports.
In five races over six days, Alvin's results were: 1st in M14A at Australian sprint champs, 5th in M14A in the relay champs (with the fastest time for his leg), 2nd in the Australian junior boys schools sprint champs, 8th (but 6th Australian) in the Australian junior boys schools sprint champs, and 1st in the Australian junior boys schools relay champs (fastest time for his leg).
On the Cotswold Bluff map on Thursday, team-mates Lachlan Billett (Waggaroos) and Ewan Shingler (Big Foot) ran excellent legs to leave Alvin in a position to bring home the gold.
Melissa Annetts (Garingal) and Georgia Jones (Uringa) farewelled the schools scene with a third placing in the senior girls relay thanks to Newcastle's Claire Burgess who ran up a division.
Alastair George (BF) had the fastest leg in the senior boys relay but the other states were too consistent for NSW.
A massive thank you to coach Jock Davis, manager Sally Devenish and all the parents for helping our Carbines achieve such great results.
