After six long months, she has returned home a champion.
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Champion Vaulter Bella Napthali is back home in the Southern Highlands with her beloved Southern Highlands Vaulting Team.
Napthali and her family took a six month adventure to Austria to prepare her for the Junior Vaulting World Championships in Ermelo, Netherlands.
Training and competing with her Austrian team 'UVT Salzburg Wales Schullergut', Bella strived hard to improve her skills and her performance on the back of a cantering horse. Her horse is called 'Little Louis'.
Bella and two other Aussies, Ginger Kennet and Alex Playfoot were selected to represent Australia at the World Championships.
Unfortunately due to an injury Alex Playfoot was forced to withdraw, while Napthali and Kennet gave us the performances of their lives to finish 20th and 22nd in the World.
"It was one of the craziest weeks of my life", Napthali said.
"There were many highs and as well many lows, but I wouldn't change it for the world".
Napthali is very grateful to so many people for getting her there and supporting her.
"My heart is bursting with gratitude," Napthali said.
In a class of 50 of the best junior vaulters in the world, Napthali's compulsory test saw her sitting in 28th place.
There were many highs and as well many lows, but I wouldn't change it for the world"
- Bella Napthali
After the freestyle, she was able to move up significantly to 20th. The best ever score from a Junior Aussie vaulter.
Napthali's biggest thank you was to her mum.
Her mother's never ending love and support along with providing the opportunities at great personal effort and expense for Bella to compete with the best of the best is something she will never forget.
Napthali is back to continue training in the Southern Highlands. Her next mission is the Australian Vaulting Championships in September in Scone.