Australian Athletics Championships Days 3 and 4

13 April 2026
Australian Athletics Championships Days 3 and 4

After sailing through day three falling short in a few events, NSW athletes closed with a gold rush on day four of the Australian Athletics Championships, being held at Homebush. The big names in NSW athletics Nicola Olyslagers, Jessica Hull, Sarah Carli, Rheed McCracken, Cameron McEntyre and Telaya Blackstock all delivered gold late at the championships. They were joined by some notable new winners, Matthew Hunt and Ashlyn Blackstock.

Men 400m hurdles
Matthew Hunt claimed the third consecutive title for his family in the men’s 400m hurdles, running another PB time of 49.37 seconds. It moved him up to number 8 Australian all-time and is the fastest Australian 400m hurdler for 14 years. It was the fastest winning time at the Nationals for 18 years and only two athletes Tristan Thomas and Rohan Robinson have ever run faster in an Australian Championship. 

Hunt also dragged three athletes under 50 seconds, the first occasion since 1999. 

“I whacked hurdles five and six, and then thought ‘oh no, I'm out of it’, but I backed myself because I know I could finish strong,” Hunt said who also hit hurdle 10 heavily.
“I just need to fix up my hurdling a little bit and I think I'll get that 48.”
It was the first time this season he had athletes close to him over the later stages. Did he panic?
“I kind of expected everyone to be up. I’m not really fast in the first 200m, usually I'm about fourth at the 200m mark, and then I home a bit stronger.”
He also took a moment to reflect on the season which has seen him improve from 51.59 to 49.37 with PBs along the way of 50.91, 49.95, 49.48 and 49.37.
“Yeah, I'm super stoked for my season. Making it in the Australian team for the World Relays was a bonus.”
Women 5000m
After a tumultuous few days, where she withdrew from the 800m, Jessica Hull overcame the 5000m field which included the five fastest in Australian history, to sprint away from the lead pack over the last lap for a comfortable win in 15:13.21 minutes.

After the 1500m dramas on Friday, including a heavy crash which she is still suffering whiplash from, you could understand Hull deciding not to lineup in any more events at the Australian Championships. But she is a fan favourite. 
“There were kids waiting at the call room to see if I was going to go and race, and that just makes me realise it's so much bigger than you," Hull said.
"I'm lucky I had the [sunglasses] on because on the first lap when they were just going berserk for me, I was tearing up and I'm like, get it together. So it's very special.
"Emotionally, mentally, we're all pretty tired and a lot goes into it, there's a lot of emotion.
"By about 4 o'clock Saturday, I was over it and I was just like you know what, I'm getting out there. 
"I don't plan to race for another month, so I didn't want to sit on that for a month and I just wanted to go back through the motions and I'm so glad I did."
Hull did take a moment to reflect on the 1500m and re-instatement of Claudia Hollingsworth.
"You just want a fair race. If you get beat fair and square, you can live with that, but when it gets taken out of your hands, it's a bit hard to shut the door on it and just leave it," Hull said.
"I think a lot of us would acknowledge it's a DQ anywhere else in the world, but it isn't here, and you've just got to live with that.
"It is what it is. It's not to any fault of another athlete."

More Australian titles for NSW athletes…Carli, Olyslagers, Blackstock, Little, Blacksmith, Colley, Stallan, McEntyre, McCracken and more

Sarah Carli had unexpected company late in the women’s 400m hurdles from Olympic semi-finalist Alanah Yukich, who was had nit been at her sharpest earlier in the summer. Yukich led over the last hurdle, but Carli motored home to win in 55.21 to 55.71; her fifth consecutive title.

Nicola Olyslagers won her seventh consecutive women’s high jump title, clearing 1.99m on her third attempt to defeat Eleanor Patterson with 1.93m. Emily Whelan was third with 1.85m. 

The women’s long jump was a dramatic event with the lead see-sawing throughout. Boosted by her qualifying round jump of 6.84m, (#5 Australian all-time), Delta Amidzovski led in rounds three, four and five in the final, only to be edged out in the last round by Brooke Bruschkuehl, who claimed her seventh National title. Amidzovski had leapt 6.65m in round three, but Bruschkuehl reached 6.67m on her last attempt. Following that, Amidzovski had one more chance to take the title, leaping 6.63m on her last attempt.

In the leadup to the championships, we noted the progression of Ashlyn Blackstock and she was able to nail the win over Olympian Taryn Gollshewsky 55.92m to 54.96m.

In a thrilling men’s hammer throw, Tim Heyes fell just short of claiming his inaugural title. Defeating 71 m hammer thrower James Joycey at the Adelaide Invitational, Heyes was a chance to take the title. Joycey got away to a good start, nailing 69.09m. Heyes was up to 68.99m in the third round, but ultimately fell short by just 10cm.

Squad partners under coach Angus McEntyre, Mackenzie Little and Lianna Davidson, had a close battle in the women’s javelin 58.76m to 58.28m. On Sunday, world championships finalist Cameron McEntyre, backed up his terrific qualifying round throw of 79.27m to take the final with 77.32m – his fourth national title.

Paralympian Telaya Blacksmith won the Para Ambulant sprint treble. She claimed the 100m with 12.32, 200m in 25.54 and 400m in a time of 59.40 seconds. Two Paralympians won the women’s half-mile events. Tamsin Colley won the ambulant 800m with 2:53.15, while Sarah Clifton-Bligh took home the wheelchair title with 2:15.17. In the men’s 400m wheelchair, Rheed McCracken clocked 54.70 for the title.

In the anticipated women’s shot put battle, the Coulter twins were on fire. Behind the favourite and eventual winner Emma Berg, Kaitlyn Coulter smashed her PB twice, initially 14.96m, then 15.43m, to easily clinch the silver medal. In third place, teenager Manala Coulter also raised her PB to 14.68m and importantly nailed the World U20 Championships standard.

Managing some injury niggles, national 3000m steeplechase record holder Ed Trippas, cruised to his first national title in a time of 8:35.29.

Emily Britton broke through the 13 seconds barrier to claim silver in the 100m hurdles, Britton clocked 12.95 seconds to move up to number seven Australian all-time.

In the men’s 100m, behind the exploits of Queensland Lachlan Kennedy, Josh Azzopardi (10.16) and defending champion, Rohan Browning (10.19) filled the podium. In fourth Connor Bond (10.33) continues to impress and no surprise he is a member of the National relay squad. While in the men’s 200m, Chris Ius clocked the stunning time of 20.26, to elevate himself to number 7 in Australian history. He also smashed Matt Shirvington’s NSW open record of 20.45.

Overcoming a knee injury which has hampered her for nearly a year, Lakara Stallan won a very close women’s 200m championship with a wind assisted time of 23.25.

There was disappointment when the favourite Jemma Pollard, withdrew from the women’s 400m with hamstring issues. Alice Dixon confirmed her new level with fourth in 52.98 seconds.

In a series of high-quality rounds in the men’s 400s, Luke van Ratingen ended up claiming the silver in a brilliant time of 45.25. His incredible season has seen him clock five times between 45.25 and 45.03. After his stunning heat of 45.36, Brenton Kerr finished fifth in 46.09. With his heat time and finals place, he looks to have locked himself a clear number six 400m athlete in Australia and surely a National team call up is imminent.

Former National 800m champion Luke Boyes, pushed national record holder Peter Bol, as they went 1-2 in the final in times of 1:45.60 to 1:45.73. Daniel Williams took on the race around 600m, but faded to place fourth.

In the men’s pole vault, Aiden Princena-White just missed winning the title on countback clearing 5.25m.

Jaylah Hancock-Cameron again mixed it with the best in the women’s 800m, claiming her second fourth place at the championships, in a PB time of 2:01.11.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Matthew Hunt at hurdle 9 in the 400m hurdles