Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor has encouraged young sportspeople to apply for $500 grants to help with costs.

Applications for funding under Round 3 of the Federally Government’s Local Sporting Champions programme close on February 28, 2015.

Mr Taylor said the grants were available to young people between 12 and 18 years of age who compete at a state or national level and who need to travel more than 250km (return) to take part in their chosen sport.

“The money can be put towards equipment, fees, uniforms, training or transportation. The Government has 23 grants to give to eligible young sportspeople in Hume.”

Mr Taylor congratulated successful local applicants from the most recent round, including 14 year old Jasmine Stanberg from Goulburn (pictured).

Jasmine recently won the gold medal in the Women’s under 16 Heptathlon at the NSW Athletics Combined Event Championship in mid-January and will compete in the Australian Athletics Championships in Brisbane in March. Jasmine is dedicated to her sport and travels three to four times a week to the AIS in Canberra to train with her coach.

“I qualified for the championships last season in the same event and received a Bronze Medal. I am hoping for a much improved qualifying time this year so that I will be in medal contention again. This event is the pinnacle of Heptathlon events in Australia,” Miss Stanberg said.

Seven young sportspeople from Hume were awarded $500 grants in Round 2 of the Local Sporting Champions programme: Jasmine Stanberg, Goulburn (Athletics), Molly Sturgiss, Binalong (Athletics), Lachlan Cottell, Silverdale (Gaelic Football and Hurling), Madeleine Prell, Crookwell (Equestrian), Chloe Lanham, Cowra (Soccer), Isaac McGregor, Crookwell (Hockey) and Jessica Clark, Gundaroo (AFL).

For further information please visit http://www.ausport.gov.au/participating/schools_and_juniors/local_sporting_champions

Caption: Federal Member for Hume, Angus Taylor, presenting Local Sporting Champion grant funding to Goulburn athlete, Jasmine Stanberg.