ALEXANDRA Hills star sprinter Andrea Wanambi is set to follow in the footsteps of iconic Australian Indigenous athletes like Cathy Freeman and Kyle Vander Kuyp after being selected to attend Athletics Australia's prestigious Raise the Bar Indigenous Academy, held in Melbourne last week.
The 18-year-old Alexandra Hills State High athlete was among 24 talented Indigenous athletes from across Australia to attend the program, which involved a week of training with leading coaches, a visit to the Collingwood Football Club and a cooking session with Coles Masterchef Michael Weldon.
Andrea, whose family is Yolngu - from Arnhem Land in the Northern Territory - and Tongan said the experience had inspired her aim for an Olympic Games.
"Raise the Bar was an amazing experience and has really inspired me to become a better athlete and hopefully represent Australia at an Olympic Games," she said.
"I learnt so much in the week and really enjoyed the session we had at the Collingwood Football Club and going to the tennis at Melbourne Park."
Coles' head of Indigenous affairs Russell James said Coles was proud to have employed 10 Indigenous athletes as a result of the program.
"As Australia's largest private-sector employer of Indigenous Australians, Coles sees the Raise the Bar program as an important way to inspire young Indigenous athletes to pursue their dreams both on and off the track," he said.
Dual Olympian and Raise the Bar mentor Kyle Vander Kuyp said the academy provided invaluable support to young Indigenous Australians looking to pursue their Olympic dreams.
"Raise the Bar not only helps Indigenous Australians to become better athletes, but it equips them with skills to study at university or get a job during or after their athletics careers," he said.
The Raise the Bar Indigenous Academy is a partnership with Athletics Australia, University of Melbourne and Coles and has supported around 200 Indigenous athletes since 2014.