2024 Australian Champs: Day 1 Review

12 April 2024

2024 Australian Champs: Day 1 Review

THURSDAY: Former Westfields High student Aleksandra Stoilova defeated a strong field in the under-20 women’s 100m clocking a very quick time of 11.46 into a slight headwind.

Now based at Clemson College in the US, Aleks had recorded a series of quick times indoors and outdoors ahead of her return to Australia last Monday. In recent weeks she had run 11.36 and an extortionary 11.15 wind assisted (2.5m/s), and over 200m 23.17. With this win, she should now join Torrie Lewis as our 100m sprint duo at the World Juniors in Peru in August. But does she have higher aspirations…as she is by passing the under-20 200m to compete in the open 100m on Friday.

Isaac Beacroft, 16, National under 20 record

The Hills area race walker, Isaac Beacroft, 16, continued his barnstorming career of wins in State and National record times, claiming the Australian under-20 10,000m walk and booking himself a spot on the plane to the World Juniors in August. It was a tactical affair early as seven athletes had achieved the qualifying standard for the World Juniors. But well into the race, Isaac bolted from the group to sprint home in a 60 seconds PB time of 40:44.47. Already in his young career he has clocked some impressive performances, but this was something special as the 16-year-old broke the National U20 record by five seconds. He is now faster, as a junior, than all the greats of Australian men’s race walking.

Before he heads to Peru in August, next week he travels to Turkey to compete at the World Athletes Teams Race Walking Championships where he will compete in the under-10 10km Walk (road) against many of those likely to be in Peru.

NSW claim 1-2-3-4 in Long Jump

NSW athletes dominated the women’s ambulant Para Long Jump filling the top-four places. Summer Giddings (F35 class) won with a leap of 3.06m in round six. Endeavour High’s Telaya Blacksmith (T20), who is chasing Paralympic 400m selection, was in the ballpark of a long jump qualifier with a silver medal winning leap of 5.20m. Sutherland’s dual Paralympian Sarah Walsh (F64) jump a Paralampic Games B qualifier of 5.01m. In fourth was Gold Coast Commonwealth Games athlete Kailyn Joseph with a windy 4.03m jump.

Chelsy Wayne steps up in the discus

The battle for domestic supremacy in the women’s junior discus has been close all season, but when it counted Wollongong’s Chelsy Wayne was unstoppable with a PB throw of 52.16m and a brilliant series of five throws over 50 metres. Three of her throws were sufficient to win.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image Aleks Stoilova win the U20 100m (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)