NSW Combined Event Championships

26 January 2026

NSW Combined Event Championships: In her debut season, Sarah Luxford impresses in open heptathlon 

Competing in stifling heat across the weekend, Robbie Cullen claimed his third consecutive decathlon title at the 94th edition of the event. While in the women’s, in just her second heptathlon, Sarah Luxford recorded one of the best performances in the last two decades at the 73rd edition of the championship.

OPEN WOMEN HEPTATHLON
In just her first season in heptathlon, former sprinter Sarah Luxford has shocked with a classy winning score of 5150 in the NSW open women’s heptathlon. Such was the level of the score, it was the highest winning tally for seven years and only three international athletes have scored higher in the last 20 years, those being Commonwealth Games representatives Alysha Burnett and Sophie Stanwell, along with New Zealand representative Veronica Torr.

Luxford set PBS in the 200m (24.22), 100m hurdles (15.50) and total score of 5150, she also equalled her high jump best with 1.56m.

The 26-year-old former 200/400m specialist, is a latecomer to the event. 
“I was looking at my times and I wasn't really happy when my twos (200m) and fours (400m). I was looking at multi-events, then Hayden Perry (her now coach and fiancée) came to our athletics club and said, you’re quite good at all the events, you should give it a go. I couldn't high jump or hurdle and said I needed help with them,” said Luxford.

After taking a year off having a baby, a year ago she started training for the heptathlon. In December in Canberra she made her debut scoring 4936, ahead of her breakthrough in Sydney last weekend.

Early on in the heptathlon, Luxford was only in third as Vanessa Apel led early after clearing a brilliant 1.80m in the high jump. After sitting in second place overnight, Mingara’s Ashley Pernecker had slipped to seventh going into the final event, the 800m. But a stunning 2:13 performance moved her comfortably into the silver medal position with an excellent score of 4637 - sufficient to have won the last six NSW titles. In third was former NSW U20 State Champion, Summer Catto (Newcastle flyers) with 4393, just 15 points ahead of Georgia Phillips (Ryde, 4378), who sailed home with a quick 2:22 800m.

OPEN MEN DECATHLON
NSW’s dominate all-round athlete Robbie Cullen, claimed his third consecutive NSW Decathlon title. In temperatures in the mid-30s, he finished the last event, the 1500m, with a solid time of 4:52.09 for a final score of 6598 points.
“It's not too bad considering the conditions and it almost getting called off,” said Cullen, referring to the heat on day two.
“It's just shy of 6-6, so not too bad.  I was pretty happy with the pole vault, I did a shorter run up just because the lungs weren't working with the heat.”
He cleared 4.00m in the pole vault – equal third highest of his career.

The life of a decathlete training for 10 events is busy enough, but Cullen combines this with full-time study and two part-time jobs.
“I’m studying to be a high school teacher in Industrial Technology at ACU at Strathfield.”
How does he manage this busy schedule?
“Sleep schedule and food are big things. Make sure you're eating well and then going to bed early, waking up early and start putting in the effort when it's needed.”
Second in the decathlon was Ben Pittman (ILL, 4809) and third Chase Lee (Leeton, 4718).

U16 GIRLS HEPTATHLON
Daughters of two heptathlete mums, Sienna Vassella and Amber Worden battled out the under-16 event. Vassella won the 200m, long jump and high jump (equal) and was second best in the 90m hurdles and shot put. She tallied a very impressive score of 4698 points. Worden also compiled an excellent series of marks, highlighted by 1.55m in the high jump (equal 1st). She was second or third best in the shot, long jump and 200m. 
In third was Sanjana Iyer with a terrific score of 4057. She led Worden by 118 points going into the 800m, but would eventually place third. Her highlights were wins in the hurdles and javelin. 

Vassella’s mother Jane Jamieson, won this title twice, in 1990 and then 1991. Her results were: in 1990 4505pts (15.74, 1.67, 11.40, 26.90, 5.32, 35.36, 2:41.47) and in 1991 5174pts (14.30, 1.73, 11.90, 26.28, 5.43, 39.48, 2:31.27).

U17 GIRLS HEPTATHLON
Two years ago, stepping up one age group, Olivia Scott-Rogers dominated a large field in the under-16 girls Heptathlon, winning by nearly 200 points. Two years on, she is back on top of the podium, scoring 4499 points to claim the under-17 title.
“I've been off with back stress fractures for a year, so this is my first heptathlon back,” said Scott-Rogers.
How does she feel to be back competing? 
“It feels really good to be back on the track. I get to hang out with all my friends again. It's just really good to compete.” 
After day one, Scott-Rogers was locked in a close battle with Victorian visitor Lexie Brown, with Scott-Rogers just three points ahead. But a good long jump (4.98m) and excellent javelin (36.76m) by Scott-Rogers, gave her a very comfortable 269 point lead going into the final event the 800n.
Lexie Brown (Vic, 4284 points) was second, ahead of Mikayla Kludass (STG) 3903 and Chelsea Forte (UTN) 3884. 

40-44 MEN PENTATHLON
After winning the 35-39y last year, Craig Baker (UTN) graduated to the 40y and dominated the event winning four of the events – long jump (5.34m), Javelin (45.51m), 200m (25.18) and Discus (33.78m). He tallied 2869 points, easily surpassing the winning tally from last year. Nepean’s Alexander Mikirtoumov was a clear second with 2360 points. His highlight was a 25.52 200m.

50-54 WOMEN PENTATHLON
The standout woman in the Pentathlon was Nicki Drinkwater. After scoring 3029 points last year while winning the 45y, she dominated her new division 50y this year, with a score of 3506. Her outstanding performances were 13.66 (100m), 11.49m (shot), 4.64m (long jump), 24.77m (javelin) and 2:54.00 (800m). 

55-59 MEN PENTATHLON
Athletics Wollongong club mates Rodney Tebbutt and Anthony Howlett battled out the 55y championship. A big javelin of 46.59m, put Tebbutt well ahead of defending champion Howlett. Going into the final event, Tebbutt had a comfortable 434 pts lead, and despite running 6:20 in the 1500m he held on for a 149-point victory. He scored 2860 points ahead of Howlett’s 2711, who was down on his 2025 winning score of 28.78.

U18 WOMEN HEPTATHLON
Netball star, Caitlyn Martin (HIL) defended her State title, scoring 4418. The highlight for the genuine all-rounder was her 10.93m shot put and 15.13 100m hurdles. Second place was Sienna Lantanis (STG) with a good score of 4212, ahead of Eve Ireland (BAN) 4042.

Martin was initially a jumper. “I was about 13 or 14 and had always been a jumper, then I started to pick up heptathlon a bit to just see how that goes.”
She was pleased with her performance. “My average scores were a lot better than before, so it's definitely my best performance.”
Martin is a Premier League netballer with the South Coast Blaze. 

Other highlights:
U20 Women Heptathlon: Tara Hollyoak (UTN) moved up from silver last year to take the title with a score of 4318.
U15 Women Heptathlon: Third place last year, Chloe Anthony (Easts) moved to the top of the podium this year in a close battle with Bonnie Venner (Orange) with scores of 3977 and 3928 respectively.
U20 Men Decathlon: Zachary Redmond (HIL) compiled a good score of 5561 with his highlight the 100m, long jump, 400m and hurdles.
U18 Boys Decathlon: Sam Price (CHE) was most impressive in the decathlon with outstanding performances in the long jump 6.48m, shot 14.93m, 110m hurdles 15.06, pole vault 3.90m and javelin 45.26. Price is undoubtedly the leading emerging junior male talent in NSW. Daniel Cox (RYD), with 5372 points, compiled a qualify silver medal winning performance.
U17 Boys Decathlon: Going into the last event Hamish McDonald (BLM) led by eight points, but would extend that to 165 points winning the 1500m. His final tally was 5076.
U16 Boys Heptathlon: Taine Katalinic (Winston Hills) won the title on the back of a solid all-round performance highlighted by a 1.89m clearance in the high jump. He tallied 4188 pts. 
U15 Boys Heptathlon: Going into the 1500m, the final event, in second place, (105 points behind the leader), in stifling temperatures James Hicks (BLM) clocked 5:06 in the 1500m to take the title with a score of 2923 points.
Men Masters Pentathlon: David Teo (60y), Nicolas Terranova (65y) and Brian Rix (80y) all defended their 2025 titles. Competing in the heat, only Teo was able to improve his score from last year, improving from 2692 to 2868.
Women Masters Pentathlon: Former NSW open heptathlon champion, Gillian Ragus won the 45y Pentathlon with a score of 2817 points. On day two of the championships, she would watch her daughter Amber Worden placed second in the U16s. In the 55y gold medallist Lisa Harrison and silver medallist Janet Naylon scored very similar tallies to their 2025 campaigns. Two to defend their NSW crowns women were Stacey Kelso (BAL) 35y and Christine Shaw (AWI) 65y.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Sarah Luxford (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)