Australia’s Youngest World Cross Country Championship official: Georgia Hughes, 19

2 January 2023

Australia’s Youngest World Cross Country Championship official: Georgia Hughes, 19

Aged 19, Campbelltown teenager Georgia Hughes will be our youngest National Technical Official at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships to be held in Bathurst next month. This prestigious honour comes just two years after commencing her journey as an Official in athletics. In this interview with Athletics NSW, we read about what a special person Georgia is, of her gratitude for her mentors, family and many other supporters. A proud aboriginal Wiradjuri/Dharawal woman, Georgia overcomes daily health challengers and will this year head to Sydney University to commence a double degree in Exercise Science and Biology.

Athletics NSW: When did you first officiate for Athletics NSW, how did you get involved and how has your involvement grown over the years?

Georgia: I actually first started out as a volunteer at the 2021 National Championships at SOPAC and did the whole week in administration. It was something I never tried before, so it was definitely exciting to work and experience the life behind the scenes and hard work that goes into athletics to make the magic happen. Years previously, I was always down at Campbelltown Collegians Little Athletics helping and learning new things. Such as starting, manual time keeping and helping Audrey Cortez out at the finish line. It was actually Tony Smyth and Audrey Cortez who helped me get into the pathway of officiating. Ever since I was a little athlete myself, I always looked up to the Campbelltown officials very highly and took interest fast in all the technical work that goes into it all. It wasn’t until one Friday night I wanted to learn how Photo-finish actually worked. I’m no IT and computer expert so it was

definitely an interesting moment for me, because I had never seen this type of technology properly before. Brandon Kemmis was one of our committee members who knew how to do it quite well and learned from Tony, from there I had a few attempts and one night Tony taught me from start to finish and I ended up getting right into the rhythm of it from there and started helping out at Athletics NSW comps and from there I went on my officials pathway. It has

been such an educational and wonderful experience. As an athlete and an official, seeing the playing field from both sides really shows the true beauty of track and field, and shows two great perspectives. It’s definitely a great gift and opportunity to make so many new connections and relationships. Athletics NSW is like one huge family, I learnt that very quickly. Us officials and everyone else in the Athletics NSW team, definitely take care of each other and I have

so many supportive mentors and experienced people around me who always teach me new things and give me wise life lessons.

Athletics NSW: What sports have you been involved with and your hobbies, interests and work career outside of athletics? Also your health challengers?

Georgia: The Hughes family has always been big in sports. We were always raised in the sports world from the moment we all could walk and talk. One particular thing about me though is that I could never find a sport I liked or was actually interested in until someone recommended little athletics to my mum after I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes at a young age. I was seven when I was diagnosed and life had just become a whole lot different. I have most likely played every sport under the sun and surprisingly have performed well. Just to name a few… oztag, motorsports, hockey, touch football, softball, basketball, dancing, swimming, soccer, rugby league, league tag, ultimate frisbee, AFL … but none of them match up to track and field.

When it comes to hobbies, I consider doing and living life as a hobby… enjoying every aspect of life and creating memories and experiences out of it. Maybe even trying something new or going into the unknown. Making that big decision or that exciting small decision. Your first time for everything, skills, adventuring, travelling and exploring. Finding that exact moment in life and shaping it into something you’ll never forget. I have one life, and even

though I have many boundaries, I will never let them stop me from showing up for myself or from trying new things or having fun. But if we want to get specific, I love photography, makeup artistry and beauty therapy, surfing, Jet Skiing, travelling, painting and going to the gym. I like to stay busy.

My work life outside of athletics consists of me being a retail assistant/manager, modelling, makeup artistry and beauty therapy and I currently have a scholarship to Sydney University for a double degree studying in a bachelor of advanced studies in sport and exercise science and a bachelor of science studies (biology). I’m planning to be a future sports medicine doctor.

I’m also a proud aboriginal Wiradjuri/Dharawal woman. Doing dot paintings and creating aboriginal art and expressing my creativity really helps me cope when life gets a little too much at times. Showing up for myself, my people and the people who stood before me, with me and after me will forever be an honour. To represent the country at such a young age and to be the first 19-year-old Wiradjuri/Dharawal woman to be a National Technical Official and a World Championships official and be doing what I’m doing at my age is an absolute dream and I’m very proud of myself.

Health is a big pinpoint for me. I’m a type 1 diabetic with Crohn’s disease, chronic asthma and anxiety and ADHD. I was born with asthma as it is in the blood of the family. I had a free and normal life until I was diagnosed with type 1. It’s taken many years to accept that this is my life forever with it and I can’t change that. I wasn’t allowed to eat much, I had a food pyramid that I had to eat off for a few years. It was very limited but I got used to it. My life

went from not injecting myself six times everyday to actually having to, and I HATED needles as a child. Eventually you grow into it and it just becomes routine. Some people cringe at the idea of pricking themselves 4-6 times a day then injecting a needle into them six times every single day but I understand why, it would not be the nicest idea. Nonetheless, I never ever let these health conditions stop me. Instead, I use them as a drive, a motivation of some sort. I still am showing up for myself everyday no matter my conditions, I am still here today and I’m still standing. I was bullied a lot throughout adolescence, sometimes people can be really nasty so it also caused me a lot of grief and mental health downsides. Again, I use them as a drive to stay hungry for what I want in life and to prove all those people wrong, to prove to myself and the world that no matter the background, the skin colour, the past, someone’s health background , a disability, the limits… everything is possible in some way and if you find the correct path, everyone will get there.

Athletics NSW: What have been your major officiating roles and meets over your career to-date?

Georgia: My major role is Photo-finish, it’s definitely a passion of mine and I enjoy being apart of a team who really works hard. But I consider myself pretty lucky to be able to learn and adapt to such a challenging area of officiating so quick especially at my age and having no experience. I’m always so thankful and appreciative to my mentors and the well known team such as Rob Jones, Tony Smyth and Janet Nixon for teaching me and assuring me in pressured times. For helping me learn from wrongs and grow in this area of officiating. As much as everyone sees us sitting down at computers, it can be quite a challenging job sometimes especially when technology does not want to work and we have interruptions, so it may always look relaxing but really, it is quite a ‘on the ball’ job and can be very fast paced at times. It took me a while to adapt to and at times it really did make me anxious but with patience, focus and knowledge/practice, you really do get through it.

Across the past 24 months, it has been a journey of a lifetime and it will continue to get better as I get more knowledgeable in my area of Photo-Finish or umpiring. I only started this back in 2021 and my first major job was nationals and that was a whole learning curve. From there I have been to the Australian cross country championships where I met Ian Boswell (Athletics SA) and learned a lot from him as well, not only that but made great connections. The AA team are also very close, when we all reunite at AA events, there’s smiles, hugs, laughs and new memories always made and it’s always great to see, especially when there’s always captured moments of it. Being young and travelling over Australia for these events can be costly, but I’m lucky to have a family who supports me all the way and always love to be invested in my job as an NTO.

At the recent Australian All Schools Championships and Schools Challenge in Adelaide I had a go at chief Photo-finish, I’m not very confident with that one yet maybe in a few years I can have a go at it again but it was another learning experience. At the last Treloar Shield for the season I combined officiating with competing. Earlier in 2022 in Brisbane, I worked at the Oceania Asia Virtus Games where we had a Photo Finish team of just two people which was greatly challenging but we did managed.

I have a big National program of appointments in 2023 which include the Australian Junior and open Championships, the Sydney/Brisbane/Melbourne Track Classics and Adelaide Invitational. I’m looking forward to the many great events to watch and so many people to reunite with.

Finally, I am chosen to officiate at the World Cross Country Championships in Bathurst. I’ll be the youngest official there and it’s honestly kind of nerve racking. But again, I’m so proud of myself and my family is right behind me and so many others are too, and I can’t thank everyone enough for the support and I hope this takes me incredibly far in life as I do want to head to the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games and world championships around the world to officiate. I really want to make the most of it and present my knowledge and expertise in any way I can.

Athletics NSW: You will become the youngest Australian official at the World Athletics Cross Country Championships. What does this honour mean to you??

Georgia: in every way possible I’m am so incredibly grateful, it may look like I got to this level myself but I got here with foundations and if I could gather every person who is right behind me and is looking forward to seeing my future in the athletics world I would want to hug them all very tightly and tell them Thank You for never giving up on me and always being behind me.

I’ll always remember the lessons, the knowledge, and the feedback I have received over recent times and continue to use it to better myself. This gives me quite a sentimental feeling at times, it makes me look at my background in life and how hard things got but I never gave in and here I am now ready to take on the world with new challenges. Cathy Freeman has always been my inspiration, she was an aboriginal woman who also never gave in, she showed up for herself and she did it every day. I kind of look at myself and think of her all the time and how proud she would be to see a young aboriginal woman representing in honour just like her. I’m a type 1 diabetic, Crohn’s individual,

indigenous woman who is representing Australia and I’ll forever remember this milestone in life and I hope it motivates people my age or even younger to get out there and change the world and not let anything stop them.

Athletics NSW: What brings you back each week?

Georgia: the friends, family like connections, my athlete friends who compete, the people, the passion. Every week is something exciting, I’m always rooting for each athlete as they compete, even if I don’t know them. I love to see the personal bests, I love seeing the parents and family support and the club supporting their athletes. It’s just always such an enjoyable time, it almost feels like a home with your favourite members around.

Athletics NSW: What are your future goals in athletics?

Georgia: I do hope to return to the track myself one day and enjoy myself. From an Official perspective, I really want to work hard and continue to learn and grow in Photo-Finish or any area of officiating to go to the Commonwealth Games, the Olympic Games and other World Games/Leagues around the world. I want to learn and see new things, see different technologies and how they work. It’s so exciting to think about. I hope Australia will get to see a glimpse of me there as well one day !

It’s been an absolute pleasure and will always continue to be !

Athletics NSW: Thank you Georgia for being one of our valued officials.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Georgia Hughes at the Australian All Schools in Adelaide