Australian Junior Championships Day 5

19 April 2026

Australian Junior Championships Day 5

A feature of day five at the 2026 Australian Junior Championships in Brisbane, was the number of thrilling and dramatic field events NSW athletes were involved in.

Claiming his fifth national title, James Mikan, like he has done previously, left it to the last jump to win gold. At the end of round three, he led with a terrific 6.71m leap. But in the fourth and final round, Queenslander Theodore Bowen improved his best from 6.58m to 6.92m. Mikan, had been standing on the runway watching Bowen’s jump unfold. Now in second place, Mikan had a chance to respond on the last jump of the competition. And as he has achieved in the past, Mikan went big, leaping out to 7.02m, his first seven metre jump.

What was he thinking ahead of his final jump?

“I thought; remember everything I did in training, and how I can rehearse this in the last jump,” said Mikan.

In the under-15 javelin throw, NSW’s Ocean Kennedy, won the title by the narrowest of margins – just 2cm. She threw 44.03m in round two to hold off Queensland’s Emily Donaldson (44.01m). Third was also close – WA’s Jessica Avins nailing 43.69m.

The women’s U20 Discus was a very dramatic event with three expected to fight out the two World Junior places. However Queensland’s Riley-Jay Henry Purcell, didn’t follow the script, launching a throw of 53.76m in round three. It would not be surpassed. 2024 World Junior team member, Wollongong’s Chelsey Wayne would rally late to place second with 51.43m, fractionally ahead of WA’s Lauren Kelly (51.03m) and NSW’s Jessica Johnston (50.99m).

There was a bittersweet win in the women’s under-20 long jump by Temora’s Grace Krause. She leapt a strong series which included 6.18 windy and a best legal jump of 6.15m, but remained 7cm short of qualifying for the World U20 Championships. In the men’s, 2024 World U20 bronze medallist Mason McGroder did not compete due to injury. Chasing the standard of 7.58m, triple jumper Lian Anagnostopoulos placed second with a windy 7.43m, jump (best legal) 7.39m), ahead of third placegetter Westfields Student Liam Hayes, who also leapt a windy 7.43. His best legal was 7.29m.

In a close girls under-17 heptathlon, Sydney’s Olivia Scott-Rogers claimed the silver medal. While the gold medal was clearly won by QLD’s Chloe Taylor with 4782 points, the next three places were a close battle with just 81 points the difference. Scott-Rogers scored 4486, ahead of bronze medallist VIC’s Taila Franchina (4431 pts) and in fourth SA’s Mia Ehrlich (4405 pts). Scott-Rogers’ heptathlon comprised performances of 100m hurdles 15.39, HJ 1.59m, SP 11.74m, 200m 26.83, LJ 4.79m, JT 32.17m and 800m 2:39.39. It compared favourability with her January NSW title win where she scored just 13 more points. In Brisbane, her first four events equalled or bettered her NSW titles. If she had matched her NSW title javelin throw of 36.76m, she would have scored 100 points more.

In the boys under-16 200m, Mohamad Gadou lead a NSW 1-2 with James Atkins placing second. They ran PB’s of 21.84 and 22.04 respectively.

In the under-15 boys 3000m walk, Lincoln Moore lead a NSW clean sweep of the podium. He clocked 14:35.74, ahead of silver medals Vinal Liyanage (15:17.46) and Charlton Maxwell (15:19.92).

Despite missing some of its best sprinters, NSW won the under-20 4x100m relay in a slick time of 40.95.

Adamstown race walker Callum Martin won his second walk title, claiming the boys under-16 3000m title in a time of 12:00.96.

We can expect some dramatic action on day six with some tightly fought sprints and middle-distance events on the program.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: NSW Mixed 4x400m relay team (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)