RUGBY UNION
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WAGGA schoolgirl Rebeka Lally is the city's latest sporting celebrity after collecting a coveted gold medal at the Australian Youth Olympic Festival in Sydney.
Lally, 16, was a member of the Australian team that eclipsed the Rugby Sevens title at the international sporting carnival on Saturday.
A few weeks away from starting year 12 at Wagga High School, Lally is now eyeing a fabulous chance to compete at the Olympic Games in Rio in three years.
Barely over the thrill of Saturday's rugby union triumph, Lally yesterday revealed her goal was to secure a place in the national team to chase a medal at the Olympics in 2016.
"Hopefully, all going well I could be there," Lally said.
"I will certainly be trying."
The Wagga teenager has already been targeted as a potential member of the Australian squad to play at the Rio tournament, but is too young to take her place.
Under a program called Olympics Pathway to Gold, Lally will attend regular rugby training camps and follow a fitness schedule for the next two years before she is drafted into the senior squad at 18 years old.
Lally said winning the gold medal at the Australian Youth Olympics Festival was a breathtaking experience.
"It was really exciting," she said.
"We'd been training hard, but we didn't know what to expect."
Lally's family travelled from far and wide, including cousin Dylan Rogers from Townsville, to be in Sydney for the Sevens tournament on Saturday.
Planning ahead, Lally intends to pursue a degree in sports medicine or physiotherapy when she completes year 12 in October.
"I'll also be continuing to play rugby," she said.
The Australian team beat South Africa 38-7 in a Sevens semi-final before smashing China 40-0 in the final, with all games played at St Ignatius College.
Lally's gold medal came only days after Wagga cyclist Max Housden claimed a bronze in the team sprint on Thursday.