MAJOR SUCCESS:  Ipswich and District Athletic Club representative Claire Keefer (right) with the shotput bronze medal she won at the IPC world championships.

TRAINING partners Claire Keefer and Rochelle Vidler are quiet achievers in every sense.

However, the Ipswich and District Athletic Club representatives coached by Mick Moore are making a huge impression early in the new season.

Keefer, 20, has just won a bronze medal in the shotput at the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) Athletics World Championships in Doha.

The only international event bigger in her competition is next year’s Paralympics, where Keefer is a top prospect for Rio.

Keefer is still in Qatar.

“I talked to her last night,” Moore said, thrilled with Keefer’s personal best performance.

“She’s pretty quiet but you can tell she was very excited.”

Keefer travels regularly from Withcott to work with Moore at Bill Paterson Oval and at QEII after she joined the powerhouse Ipswich club this season.

Competing at the para-athletics world titles for the first time, Keefer threw 22.86m to narrowly miss a medal in the F41 discus throw for athletes of short stature.

However, her dedication was rewarded in the shotput where she threw a national record of 7.62m to secure bronze in her F41 event.

Moore said her aim in the discus was top five so she had a pleasing all-round debut world meet.

Keefer trains with rising Ipswich teenager Vidler.

After excelling against older athletes in recent seasons, 14-year-old Vidler continued her fine progress at last weekend’s Secondary School State Track and Field Championships.

She twice broke the 13-15 years state hammer record by nearly three metres, with a best throw of 53.08m.

Fernvale-based Vidler also won the 14 years discus (41.90m) and came second reaching two metres in the pole vault.

Moore has been working with Vidler for four years and hopes she can join Keefer on the international stage in the future.

Next year’s Oceania titles are one of the targets.

“She’s been working on her technique and the proof is in the pudding,” Moore said, having watched Vidler break her latest record.

She achieved the record on her third throw before advancing the mark on her next release.

Although below her personal best in the hammer, Vidler’s effort so early in the new season augurs well for bigger competitions coming up.

Vidler is among a strong regional contingent eligible to represent Queensland at the Australian Secondary Championships in Melbourne from December 5-6.

The state team is being announced tomorrow.

Other regional prospects include Ipswich club medal winners Casey Bell, Claire Sullivan, Tara Chaplin, Haley Wright, Miriam Peni, Tori Langton, Zac Caterson, Cameron Kelland, Rhys Carr and Ryan Stewart.

Bell, Peni and Caterson were multiple state title medal winners.

Lockyer District Athletics Club competitors able to nominate for the December national titles include Ashlee Stieler and Annie McGuire.

Stieler and McGuire finished top three in their events at the state secondary school championships.

Twelve-year-old long jumper Hayley Reynolds, from Faith Lutheran College, finished third at the state primary school titles in Townsville.  She will be going to Canberra for the national primary school championships.

State secondary school successes

Ipswich & District Athletic Club medal winners

• Rochelle Vidler:  1st 13-15 years hammer (53.08m record), 1st 14yrs discus (41.90m), 2nd 13-15yrs pole vault (2m).
• Tori Langton:  1st 17yrs discus (42.16m).
• Casey Bell:  1st 13yrs long jump (5.19m);  2nd triple jump (10.92m).
• Haley Wright:  1st 14yrs 90m hurdles (13.55 PB).
• Zac Caterson:  1st 13yrs shot put (16.08m PB), 2nd discus (49.70m).
• Tara Chaplin:  2nd 14yrs 200m (27.21 PB).
• Rhys Carr:  2nd 13-15yrs hammer (45.59m).
• Clare Sullivan:  3rd 14yrs discus (37.51m PB).
• Miriam Peni:  3rd 16yrs 100m (12.48), 2nd 200m (25.46), member of second-placed 4 x 100m relay team (49.40).
• Cameron Kelland:  3rd 14yrs triple jump (12.54m).
• Ryan Stewart:  3rd 14yrs 1500m walk (8.13.82 PB).

Lockyer District Athletics Club medal winners

• Ashlee Stieler:  3rd 17yrs javelin with four throws over 41m, 1st 100m hurdles (14.01 PB).
• Annie McGuire:  3rd 14yrs high jump (1.62m equal PB), 1st long jump (5.39m).
• Mitchell Mellor:  2nd in 3000m walk.