Sport
31 March, 2026
Henderson ready to jump to new heights
The promising athletics career of Maryborough local Naomi Henderson is on the verge of jumping to new heights in 2026, starting her run-up towards the national and international stage.
From humble beginnings at the Maryborough Little Athletics Centre, Henderson has built an outstanding resume as a standout field jumper.
Alongside her impressive per-formances for the Eaglehawk Athletic Club, Henderson has excelled at prestigious champion-ships, coming third at the 2025 Little Athletics Victoria State Championships in the Long Jump, Triple Jump and 100 m Hurdles.
Now, after over a decade of dedication and countless training sessions, Henderson has reached a major milestone, set to compete at her first Australian Athletics Junior Championships held in Queensland this April in the female under 18 Triple Jump.
“It’s something that I’ve really dreamed of since I was a little kid,” Henderson said.
“I’ve never qualified for nationals before, so it makes it a little bit more special that I’ve been able to do something like this. It just shows that hard work from this season and previous seasons can really come together.”
Henderson punched her ticket to Queensland back in late October, taking home the bronze medal at the 2025 Victorian All School Cham-pionships with a personal best jump of 10.93 meters in the Triple Jump.
“I was hoping for a top two finish because that would have gotten me to all schools nationals. Unfor-tunately, I didn’t reach that. I was sitting second the whole time and just got pipped at the end,” Henderson said.
“Only recently, they announced the qualifying levels you had to reach to be able to get to nationals. When I read that, I thought it wasn’t real for a minute and then I thought, wow, I’ve actually done it.”
Henderson won’t be the only Maryborough representative at the championships, with local sprinting phenoms Charlie Sullivan and Darcy Thatcher also qualifying for the event.
After his second-place time of 11.42 at the Victorian Junior State Championships qualified him for the 100 m, Sullivan also qualified for the 200 m after running a 22.89 at Doncaster’s High Velocity meet that same month, a performance that smashed his personal best.
Thatcher has also been in some scorching form lately, dominating at the Victorian Track and Field Championships by winning the female under 20 200 m in a blistering 24.39 seconds as well as the 400 m with a time of 56.70 seconds.
With Henderson, Sullivan and Thatcher all starting their athletic careers locally, Henderson said the Maryborough Little Athletics Centre has played a major role in her success.
“If I didn’t have this facility here, I don’t reckon I would have done athletics,” she said.
“When I first started, I wanted to be as good as the big kids. Starting when I was seven years old and looking up and seeing them jump crazy distances.
“As I grew older, I realised that I actually was one of the big kids inspiring the little kids. So now I don’t want to let the little kids down because I want to prove that you can do really cool things, especially if you have a love and a passion for something.”
With the national championships just weeks away, Henderson said she’s excited to make the most of the experience.
“It’s really just going to be an amazing opportunity. I don’t believe that I’m going to be placing anywhere amazing, but just being able to be like, Mum, we’ve actually booked flights to Brisbane was such a big thing for me,” she said.
“I have never been on a plane that I can remember. The only time I’ve been on a plane was when I was eight years old, so being able to go away is going to be so amazing.”
Henderson will have to get used to flying very quickly, as she is also set to travel to Canada and the United States this June for an athletic experience of a lifetime.
Organised by Sports Travel Australia, Henderson has been selected for the tour, where she will compete at the Jack Brow Memorial Invitational and the BC Cham-pionships.
Henderson has been previously selected for the experience, but the overall cost has forced her to decline the invitation. With 2026 her last year of eligibility, the Maryborough Lions Club has donated $2000 to support Henderson’s international aspirations.
“It’s something that I’ve always looked forward to. Last year a few of my friends went and I was like, oh my God, I really need to knuckle down with my savings and make sure I’m on that next trip over because it’s something that I’ve waited so long for,” Henderson said.
“I'm representing Australia, which is super cool. It also provides opportunities with lots of coaches to see if they’ve got some advice for me on how I can progress further.
“The cost of this tour is extremely expensive, so being able to get local community groups behind me to help me with some sponsorship is super exciting.”
Henderson has also set up a GoFundMe page to help her and her family cover accommodation, registration, uniforms and insurance.
For more information, or to donate, visit www.gofundme.com/f/ naomis-athletics-journey-to-canada-and-america