NSW All Schools Day 3 Review: Marnie Laurence breaks Torrie Lewis record

29 September 2025

NSW All Schools Day 3 Review: Marnie Laurence breaks Torrie Lewis record

We witnessed a race for the ages on day three of the NSW All Schools Championships when the 100m champion, Zavier Peacock, and 400m star Olly McDonald, met on neutral ground over 200m. Also, in the 200s Marnie Laurence broke a record held by Australia’s fastest woman – Torrie Lewis. There were also records galore in the field, with Ernie Shankelton’s country throwers winning for gold medals.

Marnie Laurence masterclass

It has been another extraordinary championship for Marnie Laurence, highlighted by breaking a meet record held by Australia’s fastest woman, Torrie Lewis (originally from Newcastle). Laurence’s performance was even more amazing as her 200m record was achieved running into a headwind – one wonders what she could have achieved with a tailwind. Laurence clocked 24.57 into a 1.3m/s wind, to break Torrie’s record of 24.60.

It capped off four titles for Laurence and three meet records. She twice lowered the 100m record, 12.01 in the heat and 11.99 in the final. The previous record of 12.20, had stood since 1993 – 32 years ago. She also won the long jump (5.44m) and triple jump (11.03m) events.

Kaden Elliott 19 years distance-double

In just his first year of serious running on the track, Glen Innes distance runner, Kaden Elliott has won the 19-years 1500m and 5000m double. On Sunday he defeated a quality 1500m field in a good time of 3:57.52, then on Monday he dominated the 5000m event to take the title in a meet record and 19-second PB time of 14:50.69. He did all the work leading the race throughout.

He has no recorded track races, prior to January this year.

“I was predominantly a cross country runner, however I had competed in a few track races here and there.,” said Elliott. “This year I actually had a proper crack. My coach, Vicky McPhillips, and I managed to get to Perth for nationals on my first try.”

At the Australian championships, Elliott competed in the 1500m heats and was 12th in the 5000m.

The HSC student made a major effort just to get to the start line on Monday. “It's about eight hours in a car each way. Anything longer than Sydney we've tended to fly.”

Elliott was self-coached prior to a year ago and does it all himself.

“I train completely solo.” Does he have a track to train on? “No, a dirt road on the Glen Innes showground is actually where I train.”

The showground does have grass, but it is sandy and ‘you sink that far into the ground. it's not very nice.’

Breeanna Williams

One athlete who is really on the move this summer is the best female hammer thrower at the championships - Breeanna Williams from Greystanes High. Arriving at the meet with a best under 52 metres, she twice threw over 53 metres, reaching a PB of 53.50m to take the title by over five metres.

“I've been very consistent in training recently and it's reflecting in my competitions,” said Williams. What areas of her training have been responsible for her improvement over winter?

“I think everything, my technique, gym, my speed. It's all just coming together well.”

Williams is working hard at her sport – how many sessions is she doing per week?

“Overall, between all my training, like throws, gym, running - six sessions a week. Sometimes multiple sessions in a day.”

She started her athletics journey in Tiny Tots, moved into throwing events and in the last couple of years the hammer throw. After the Australian All Schools in Melbourne, Williams will need to graduate from the 3kg to 4kg implement.

Lukas Pendleton Waverley shot

After a decade in the sport, Waverly College student Lukas Pendleton had a breakthrough winning his first state title. In a thrilling 15-years shot competition, Pendleton was sitting in 5th place at the end of round two with a best of 14.98m. In round three he moved into 3rd with a throw of 15.69m. But he was not done yet, nailing a 40cm PB of 16.43m in the fourth and last round to take the title by 16cm.

Athletics is not his primary sport as he is a rugby player (hooker/prop) and powerlifter. “I have an Australian record in bench,” he said.

Last week, his school Waverley College, claimed a historic win at the Combined Associated Championships, after 10-years of Trinity dominance. Pendleton was a key member of the team winning the 15-years shot, discus and javelin.

Ernie Shankelton’s enormous impact on country athletics

NSW has an impressive group of emerging throwers, and it is in no small part due to the impact Ernie Shankelton is having on the central west of NSW. In the first three days of the championships, his athletes have won six state titles – four on Monday. It is an extraordinary achievement which Shankelton and his athletes keep delivering. For the coach of Bronwyn Eagles, a world championships hammer throwing bronze medallist in 2001, Shackleton is putting his retirement to good use. Today his athletes won the 19-years hammer throw (Ky Garratt, from Cowra, in a meet record), 16-years hammer throw (Cooper Dabin, from Young, just short of the record), 15-years shot (Mckayla Grobler, from Mudgee, 10cm short of the record) and 13-years shot (Savannah Auvva, from Bathurst).

Mudgee’s Mckayla Grobler

One of coach Ernie Shankelton’s finest athletes is Mckayla Grobler. Last years she won a full set of medals, silver in December at the Australian All Schools, then gold and bronze in Perth at the Australian junior championships. The shot putter from Mudgee just missed the 15-years record today with a put of 15.21m, winning by over a metre.

Her journey in the sport started in her backyard, ahead of her year-6 school athletics carnival.

“I really wanted to win an event,” she told her dad. “So he said, okay, grab that rock in our backyard and throw it the night before and morning of.” How did she go? “It went really well, and I came first by a good solid two metres.” But unfortunately, COVID would hit and she couldn't compete that year.

Still determined to do athletics, Mckayla and her dad researched the shot-put technique. “So I started training that December holidays to get ready for year seven.”

They looked around for a coach, but there were none locally, but last year they connected with Ernie Shankelton. And now she is Australian champion. “It feels amazing at such a young age.”

What is the attraction to athletics for Mckayla? “I find joy in it because I tried a lot of sports before finding athletics. I find it really achievable because it's something that suits me. It's just so much fun to train over and over again seeing that you can improve. You do have to train hard for it, but when you learn you can do it, it's just so much fun.”

In brief:

Waverley College’s Lachlan Chappell stared both on the track and in the field. He won the 13-years sprint treble, all in record times of 11.62, 24.01 and 52.56. In the throws he won the discus with a distance of 41.21m and shot put with 13.70m.

In the 15-years 200m Rhema Adelaja clocked 23.83 to take 0.31 seconds off the previous best.

The 17-years boys 200m would be a show down between 100m champion, Zavier Peacock and 400m star Olly McDonald. Peacock, who only recently started running serious 200s, had already clocked 21.07 recently and would be tough to beat and that is how is unfolded with Peacock taking the title in a meet record time of 21.09, from McDonald who smashed his old PB of 21.71, clocking 21.42 seconds.

In the 13-years pole vault, Nimrod Zsolt Zsomber destroyed the old record of 3.10m, vaulting 3.65m. He opened the competition after all the other athletes were out. He had first attempt clearances at 2.95m, 3.15m, 3.30m, 3.45m and 3.55m. After clearing 3.65m on his third attempt he retired from the competition.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Marnie Laurence in the 200m (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)