NSW All Schools Championships: four feature events

26 Sept 2025

NSW All Schools Championships: four feature events

Across the four days of the 2025 NSW All Schools Championships, we will witness the next wave of emerging talent. The largest and strongest Australian state, NSW has a wealth of talent. Here we have featured four thrilling events ahead of the championships starting tomorrow at Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre.

17-years Boys 400m

Although this is still early season, it will be great just to see four of Australia’s leading under-18 quarter-milers starting their season. All four will have World U20 Championships selection on their mind. As under-18s in 2025, they will be U19s in 2026, so near the top of the age, and competitive for selection in the Australian team for the World U20s, which in 2026 will be held in Eugene - Track Town USA.

Last summer we watched their spectacular emergence. Here are the athletes and their progress:

Joshua Smith (Kings School, Coach John Quinn): At the NSW U18 Championships, Josh recorded a near one second PB time of 47.81 to take the title. At the Australian Champs in Perth, he was 2nd in another PB 47.65. At the GPS Athletics last week, he won the U17 100m and 200m sprint double

Fred Hamblin (Kings School, Ben Gavan/Rob Marks): Like Josh, Fred set a one second PB of 48.22 at the NSW U18 champs, then in Perth at the Australian Championships, sliced half a second off his PB to clock 47.71 – just 0.06 seconds behind Josh. Returning from a syndesmosis injury sustained playing rugby union, on just three weeks training he did well at GPS to clock 49.22 for 2nd in the open 400m.

Olly McDonald (Manly High, Katie Edwards and Mel Gainsford-Taylor): Over summer we watched Olly regularly set PBs. After starting with a best of 49.50, he clocked 48.63 (Sept), 48.34 (Dec), 48.31 (Mar), 48.23 (Mar, 3rd NSW champs), 48.10 (Apr, 4th Aus champs). This month Olly has been in terrific form, clocking 200m and 400m PBs of 21.71 and 48.06, respectively, at the NSW CHS Championships.

James Woods (Epping Boys H, Erica & Russell Cox): James arrived at the NSW U18 Championships last March with a PB of 49.62. He then went on a PB spree at the NSW Championships and Australian Championships finishing at 48.37, just missing the nationals podium by 0.14 seconds.

U16 Girls 1500m and 3000m

NSW has a wealth of talent in the under-16 girls 1500m and 3000m events.

Eliza Lawton (Pymble Ladies College, Vaughan Lawton, Deb Walsham): Eliza is the NSW and Australian 1500m and 3000m champion. After winning the State title in times of 4:28.36/9:33.77, she would go on to set PBs of 4:20.35 /9:21.90 winning the National double.

Aliyah Bennett (William Clarke College, Shannon Lum): Aliyah’s focus will be the 800m and 1500m at the NSW All Schools. Last summer in the 1500m, she was 2nd at State, ahead of winning the bronze medal at Nationals in a PB time of 4:33.73. But it was the 800m where she really excelled, winning the Australian title, her second of the summer, after claiming the Australian All Schools title in December.

Annabelle Vella (Galston High, Shannon Lum): Annabelle will race in the 3000m and her speciality the 2000m steeplechase where she is an over whelming favourite. Last summer, in the 3000m, she was 2nd in the State and Nationals, while in the steeplechase she won the State and Nationals titles. A championship performer, Annabelle set a PB in all four races – landing at bests of 9:33.80 and 6:56.55.

Sophie Polkinghorne (Mount Saint Benedict, Shannon Lum/David Beacroft): Sophie will tackle the 1500m, 3000m and race walk this weekend. In the running events 1500m and 3000m she just missed the podium at the Australian championships clocking PB times of 4:33.85/9:44.43. In the walks Sophie won the State title, then was 2nd at Nationals in Perth.

Olivia Galang (Canberra Girls Grammar, Robbie Bolton): A visitor from Canberra, Olivia was 4th in the 800m at Nationals and 7th in the 1500m. She clocked a PB of 4:38.21 in the longer event.

U15 Girls Javelin Throw

Last summer we witnessed terrific competition amongst the under-15 girls in the javelin. At different competitions there would be different winners. By the end of the season, they were all in the top-10 in Australia.

Vashti Williams (Trundle Central, Ian Leonard): What a rise for the country-based Vashti Williams during last summer. A year ago, at the NSW All Schools she placed 3rd, then at the NSW Championships in March, she missed the podium with 4th, but a month later in April at the Australian championships she would be the number one NSW thrower, taking bronze at nationals.

Tamia Naitaka (Sylvania High, Dave Ross): Last summer Tamia won two State titles the NSW All Schools in September, then the NSW State in March. She is in good form this season winning the CHS title this month.

Sarah Galea (Xavier College Llandilo, -): Sarah was 7th last year at the NSW All Schools, but would rise to 2nd at the State in March, closing the season with 9th at the Australian championships.

Madison Harris(Castle Hill High, Daniel Kasozi): What a wonderful rise by Madison last summer. She was 12th a year ago at the NSW All Schools, by March she was 3rd at the State and a terrific 5th at the Australian Championships. She has already thrown well this season, placing 3rd at CHS.

U16 Boys 1500m

This is primarily a race in two between a pair of athletes who are now regularly winning National titles. Trinity’s Patrick McMahon is a steeplechase specialist, while Evan Rowbotham has won Australian titles from 800m to 3000m. At the Australian Championships in Perth, Patrick broke an Australian under-16 2000m steeplechase record with an outstanding time of 5:54.22, while Evan won the 3000m. They then met on ‘middle ground’ over 1500m, with Evan taking the win with 4:02.08 to Patrick’s 4:04.35.

As they both attend CAS Schools, they have already met this season over 1500m, with Evan getting the win in 4:16 from Patrick with 4:19. At the CAS, Evan also won, the 800m in record time, surprisingly the 400m.

This weekend Evan will race in the 800m and 1500m, by passing the 3000m. Patrick is entered for the steeplechase, 1500m and 3000m.

Patrick McMahon (Trinity Grammar, Bradley Woods)

Evan Rowbotham (Waverley College, Jeremy Roff)

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Sophie Polkinghorne and Annabelle Vella(courtesy of David Tarbotton)