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Top 5 Athletes Born in Queanbeyan

For years Queanbeyan punched well above its weight in terms of developing top athletes in a range of different sports. There must be something in the Googong water that grows people with the sheer talent and determination to rise to the top of their sport. Here is a list of the top five of this esteemed group of champions:

1: Heather McKay (Squash)

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heading into the week with focus, intention and the eye on the ⚫️ like Heather McKay . . . . #squash #squashplayers #heathermckay #womenssquash #womensquashplayers #focus #intention #mondays #eyeontheprize #squashinspo

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Heather McKay is a retired squash player who is regarded by many as the best female athlete to ever play the sport. One of her most outstanding achievements is winning the British Open 16 consecutive times after her initial victory in the tournament in 1962. As there was no World Championship at the time, the British Open was regarded as an unofficial world tournament. Heather was undefeated in competitive squash matches from 1962 until 1982 when she retired from the sport, having only lost two matches in her entire career (once in 1960 and again in 1962).
Heather now has a wing of the newly build indoor sports center in Queanbeyan named after her.

2: Mark Webber (Formula One)

Growing up in Queanbeyan attending Karabar High School, Mark always had a love for sport. He was a ball boy for the Canberra Raiders and started off racing motorcycles before moving on to karts at the age of 14. In 1993 Webber won the New South Wales state championship and from there his career raced to life. Over 11 years in Formula One racing including 9 wins cemented Mark as one of the best racers Australia has ever seen, and his spirit and determination on the track is something that inspires young Queanbeyan racers to this day. Mark now works in a representative role at Porsche and has media roles internationally.

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Grande Prêmio do Brasil de 2004 em Interlagos. O inconsolável piloto australiano Mark Webber observa seu Jaguar R5 Cosworth V10 após abandonar a corrida. 2004 Brazilian Grand Prix at Interlagos. The inconsolable Australian driver Mark Webber notes his Jaguar R5 Cosworth V10 after leaving the race. #f1historia #f1 #formula1 #formulaone #formulauno #formulaum #formel1 #formule1 #race #races #raceday #racecar #racecars #racing #motorsport #motorsports #motorracing #autosport #grandprix #gp #becauseracecar #garage #braziliangp #brasil #interlagos #gpdobrasil #sãopaulo #jaguar #jaguarf1 #markwebber

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3: David Campese (Rugby)

David Campese played for The Wallabies more than 100 times and is still regarded as one of the best players to ever represent Australia. David was part of the Wallabies team that won the 1991 Rugby World Cup and was the tournament’s leading try scorer which helped him in being awarded the title of Player of the Tournament. Growing up in Queanbeyan and playing for the Whites, Campese might never have guessed he would be a part of teams that won the Bledisloe Cup against the All Blacks on numerous occasions. The rugby field where the Queanbeyan Whites play their home games is now named after the champion player.

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One of the most entertaining players to grace rugby, #DavidCampese was capped 101 times for #Australia, and held the world record for the most tries in test rugby until 2006. He was named player of the tournament at the 1991 World Cup, where Australia defeated England in the final. He was famous for playing to entertain the crowd, while still being able to rack up tries. #Campese was outspoken throughout his career, describing himself as “rugby’s first millionaire”, at a time when players were banned from profiting from rugby. However, his brilliant play spoke louder than his words, and he still remains an Australian great. #AustraliaRugby

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4: Ricky Stuart (Rugby League)

The current Canberra Raiders coach has a long career in rugby league as a coach and a player. Sometimes when a player transitions to a career in coaching his achievements on the field are forgotten, however no one can forget that outstanding half won three premierships with the Raiders. Ricky has played for as well as coached at NRL level, for NSW in State of Origin and for Australia at an international level. Ricky recently had a mural of himself painted in Queanbeyan after being voted as the ‘Face of Queanbeyan’. He is recognised for his achievements as a player and coach, but also for his outstanding work in the community.

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Congratulations to 2016 Coach of the Year Ricky Stuart… @raiderscanberra @foxsportsaus @tonymsquires @nrl #rickystuart #thefordhamcompany #leader #champion #icon #coach

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5: Matt Giteau (Rugby)

The famous Wallabies player is another who made the incredible milestone of 100 games for the national side. While Matt was not born in Queanbeyan like the other athletes on this list, he moved there as a child and attended school at St. Edmunds like a lot of young Queanbeyan boys do. Matt made his debut for the Brumbies in 2001 and is still playing professional rugby in 2019. On top of his stellar career in rugby, Matt still hold junior records for race walking in the Queanbeyan Little Athletics program.

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And like that the youngest starts big school.. ✊🏼❤️

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