FAST Running athlete Bree Madigan Wong produced a courageous and highly impressive set of performances at the NSW Athletics Region 5 Championships, held on 7–8 February 2026, demonstrating resilience, adaptability and competitive maturity well beyond her years.
Competing while unwell across two demanding days, Bree’s weekend became less about chasing perfect conditions and more about learning how to perform when things are far from ideal — an experience that will serve her well as she continues to progress through the junior pathway.
A Challenging Start, Strong Response
Bree woke on Saturday morning feeling congested and unwell with cold and flu symptoms. Despite this, she elected to compete, beginning her program in the 200m hurdles. Unfortunately, she fell at the fourth hurdle and reported feeling light‑headed and short of breath during the race. Thankfully, there was no serious injury as a result of the fall.
After a solid break, rest, nutrition and recovery, Bree returned to the track for the 100m, cruising comfortably through her heat before producing an outstanding performance in the final. She ran a new personal best of 13.19 seconds, finishing second behind the current National Champion — a significant result given the circumstances and a 0.2s improvement.
Sunday: Grit, Composure and Class
Despite again waking on Sunday not at her best, Bree showed excellent composure throughout the day.
In the 80m hurdles, she progressed smoothly through her heat before winning the final against a strong field that included four finalists from the previous year’s NSW State Championships. The race continued a growing rivalry with an athlete who has consistently finished close to Bree at both state and national level.
Bree also finished second in the long jump, recording a best of 4.64m — 29cm shy of her personal best but comfortably clear of the third-place competitor, again finishing behind the current National Champion.
By the time the 200m arrived, the accumulated fatigue had taken its toll. Bree battled bravely through the race before being forced to slow significantly in the final stages. Despite this, she still contributed later in the program as the lead-off runner in the Senior Girls 4×100m relay, helping secure a bronze medal for the team.
Weekend Results Snapshot
- 80m Hurdles (Final): 1st – 13.23
- 100m (Final): 2nd – 13.19 (PB)
- Long Jump: 2nd – 4.64m
- 4×100m Relay (Senior Girls): Bronze
Looking Ahead
Across the weekend, Bree’s performances were a clear demonstration of resilience and perseverance — the ability to deliver high-quality outcomes even when operating well below full health.
She is currently resting and recovering, with the focus shifting toward a final hit‑out later in the week ahead of the ACT Underage Championships. The lessons learned at Region 5 — managing adversity, listening to the body, and competing with intent — will prove invaluable as she continues her development.
Running Excellence is not just about performance on good days, but character on the hard ones.
Comments are closed