"Inspiring" gold for Redcliffe duo
Pictured: Millicent Hunter and Agatha McGoon with their gold medals.
Agatha McGoon and Millicent Hunter have ended a 35-year wait for Redcliffe Surf Life Saving Club (SLSC).
The 12-year-olds beat severe weather, tough beach conditions, jellyfish and 13 teams to win gold at the Australian Surf Life Saving Championships.
And as the Under 13/Under 14 mixed two-person Rescue and Resuscitation (R&R) medals were presented, Redcliffe SLSC had its first national champions.
Millicent and Agatha have competed together for three years, winning the State U11/U12 two-person title in 2023 and arrived on the Gold Coast with a degree of confidence.
But, starting the final round, against teams from Queensland, Victoria, NSW, West Australia and South Australia, were outside the medal places.
However, the duo fixed earlier “mistakes” and battled through bluebottle stings to win Redcliffe SLSC's first Australian crown.
“When they announced the results going into the final, we were coming fourth,” says Millicent, who is continuing a family tradition in R&R.
Agatha adds: “We just focused on the things where we made mistakes in the first round and fixed them in the final. We cried when we realised we’d won.”
Millicent smiles and adds: “It was kind of a surprise … and relief.”
Rob van Driel, Redcliffe SLSC’s Junior Activities Coordinator, says the “achievement is sure to inspire young Reddy lifesavers for years to come”.
"For Agatha and Millicent to win our club's first national championship is a momentous achievement in itself,” he says.
“What makes their gold medals mean so much more is the focus, courage and determination these young lifesavers showed to overcome the extreme conditions, which is testament to their training, coaches and supporters.
“Agatha and Millicent's achievement is sure to inspire young Reddy lifesavers for years to come."
Following their national title, Millicent has been appointed one of Redcliffe’s Nipper Captains for the next season and Agatha has been named Junior Athlete of the Year.
The duo is aiming to travel interstate for competitions next season.
R&R is based on a simulated rescue and resuscitation of a patient from the surf using the traditional belt and reel.
It combines swimming, resuscitation skills, marching and drill, with teams judged against set criteria and deducted points for errors.
Millicent is the third generation of her family to be involved in Rescue and Resuscitation.
Mum Jess and her sister Fran won U16 five-Person R&R silver medals at the 1999 Australian Championships, also on the Gold Coast. Jess was also in the U18 team which won bronze in 2000.
They were coached by their father Greg Murphy (Millicent’s grandfather) who is a Foundation Life member of Redcliffe Peninsula SLSC.
The club thanked Redcliffe Woodcraft Society for repairing the reels Redcliffe surf life savers use and Redcliffe Community Men’s Shed for varnishing them.
Both reels have been used this season by Redcliffe SLSC’s U13-U15 five-person team, which included Agatha, Millicent, Zac Keating, Alyssa Sweeney and Summer Moffat.