NSW Junior Championships: Five emerging stars to watch

10 March 2026

NSW Junior Championships: Five emerging stars to watch

Over the last year we have watched some of our leading junior athletes develop into familiar names, athletes like Izzy Louison-Roe, Isaac Beacroft, Ky Garratt, Mason McGroder and Zavier Peacock, but who are some new names to watch this week at the NSW Junior Championships?
We have highlighted five to follow this weekend and into the future, and found they all have an interesting story to tell ranging from their pathway and athletics journey to family history in the sport.

MARIAM KAMARA
With two months to the trials for the World U20 Championships and Australian junior Championships, one of Australia’s top-5 junior sprinters is Mariam Kamara, clocking times of 23.88 (200m) and 54.68 (400m) this summer. She has improved dramatically this summer after starting formal training just a year ago. She takes us through her journey:
“I’ve been doing athletics since I was five, so running has basically been part of my personality for most of my life. I started with Little Athletics in Year 6 representing Tigers West Club in Auburn, then in high school I decided to “coach myself” (which was a bold decision for a teenager). Somehow it worked, because from Year 8 to Year 12 I made it to the CHSSA State Championships every year. 
“After graduating, I decided I wanted to take athletics seriously. One day while doing some very important research on Instagram Reels (also known as scrolling because I was bored), I came across Speedcity Athletics. Their training style looked intense, and I immediately thought, “Yep, I want to train there.” So I messaged Coach Greg and asked if he had room for a 100m, 200m and 400m runner. I didn't know what I was good at. When I told my dad, he asked if I could really handle training, university, and a job. I confidently told him, “I can do it all, Dad.” Since then it’s been a bit of a roller coaster - but a fast one. So I love the 400m and 200m.”

Away from the track what does she do?
“I graduated from high school and I'm currently in my second year studying a Bachelor of Physiotherapy and I currently work as an allied health assistant.”

FILTOMAS FINEKIFOLAU
Filtomas Finekifolau’s athletics journey started during COVID.
“I started athletics in year 5 and was doing a mixture of events like jumps, throws and hurdles but focused on throws by year 8/9. I started athletics because my soccer season got cancelled in year 5 due to COVID and I still wanted to do sport, so my mum signed me up for Bankstown Little Athletics Club.”

This summer he has made incredible progress setting four consecutive PBs starting at the NSW All Schools with 16.16m. He then threw 17.03m, 17.40m and 18.01m.
His last PB won the Australian All Schools U17 title in Melbourne in December.
“Throwing 18.01m having just turned 16 was in my eyes an achievement itself and the title was just the cherry on top. I believe that throw of 18.01m was as close to perfect as I can get and chasing the perfect throw is what keeps me going.”

His goals in the future include “spread awareness of shot putting especially in Australia as much as I can using my platform and help children with ASD and ADHD find their way in sport as I have battled both.”

ETHAN WILLIAMS
At the 2024 Australian All Schools Singleton’s Ethan Williams won silver medals in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles. Leading into the 2025 season he and coach Peter Gentz came to a decision about event/s for the 2026 World U20 Championships.

Ethan explained:
“It was mainly a strategical plan,” he said. “If selected (in both events) doing potentially six hurdle races at World U20s would be excessive. For years I trained for both events, then when it came to focusing on worlds, I knew spending more time on one event rather than equally spending that time on two would produce better results. The reason I picked 400m hurdles was because I thought I was slightly better at it over the sprint hurdles and it better suited my physique and running style. “

The plan has been working well, with two months until the World U20 Championships trials, he is one of two athletes with a qualifier in the 400m hurdles.

He has not closed the door on the sprint hurdles.
“There’s a chance I do come back to 110 hurdles after worlds but it’s pretty unlikely since I’m enjoying doing just 400 hurdles now.”

Ethan’s athletics journey started in primary school, “I used to do soccer and gymnastics. These sports faded out once I started to focus on athletics more.”
Ethan trains alongside sprinter Jenna Heath and in Newcastle and Maitland. He graduated from Singleton High in 2024 and has since worked part-time ahead of deciding what university study he will pursue.

ALICE HILL
At just aged 16, Alice Hill has already clocked some impressive times over 200m (24.16) and 400m (54.32). She will be young enough to go to not just the 2026, but 2028 World U20 Championships.
She is following in the footsteps of her grandmother who in the ‘60s was one of Australia’s leading sprinters and hurdlers – Robin Scott (Hill). Robin won five NSW open State titles, two Australian medals and competed alongside (and defeated) two greats of the sport, Betty Cuthbert and Pam Kilborn (Ryan).

“I started athletics when I was in primary school,” Alice said.
“I was successful in school carnivals and progressing on to regionals and State so I decided to join a club for fun.”
She was also a state level hockey player.
Last December in Melbourne she was second at the Australian All Schools in the U17 400m.
“I was very happy to get a podium finish at my first Australian All Schools last December as well as running a PB and my first World U20 Championships qualifier in the same race. I also really enjoyed the mixed 4x400 relay for NSW where we won the gold medal.”

She had started the summer with a two seconds 400m PB in October.
“I was very happy with my PB from NSW All Schools which came from persistence and commitment. I have made progress over the summer running a new pb of 54.32 in the 400m at the NSW Country Championships in Dubbo and also raced in Canberra where I ran a 200m pb.”
The Year 11 student at Newcastle Grammar School is looking to go to university and “continue doing my best in athletics and see where it takes me!”

KAI CULLENS
Kai Cullens is an Australian 400m champion, but that is not the event he started his athletics.

Less than 12 months ago Kai started his sprinting career. He explained:
“I was a state cross country runner. I then realised at my school athletics carnival last year that my sprint times were competitive and this inspired me to consider a shift towards sprinting.
That day I reached out to coach Kristine Purcell (Fit3 Performance). She took me on as an athlete, guiding me to where I am today. Her coaching and mentorship have been vital in helping me transition from distance running to competitive sprinting as well as my growth and confidence as an athlete.”

Less than six months after deciding to concentrate on sprints, he won the Australian All Schools U17 400m title in Melbourne last December.
“Winning the Australian 400m title at the National All School Championships was a very proud moment for me, especially considering how new I am to sprinting. But I believed in myself and had the confidence to know I could achieve that goal. It meant a lot to see the hard work and dedication to training, and trusting the process, all come together. I know I still have more to give, and the journey is just beginning. I look forward to continuing to grow and push my limits and seeing how far I can go.” 

Kai also has a handy 800m PB of 1:52.80. He was previously a basketballer, AFL player and GWS Giants Development Academy member. He is looking at pursing a career as a physiotherapist.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Ethan Williams (courtesy of David Tarbotton)