NSW Junior Championships Review

Published Tue 16 Mar 2021

15 March 2021

NSW Junior Championships Review

In these challenging times for the world the 2021 NSW Championships experienced everything from great conditions to perfect weather, thunderstorms and heavy rain. But the athletes, coaches and officials working together to conduct a smooth carnival. Performance wise, the athletes responded resulting in many high quality performances, close and exciting races and hundreds of personal bests.

Here are some of the best performances across the three days.

FEMALE EVENTS

U20

After running a terrific heat time of 11.94, Grace Hewitt (POR) couldn’t hold off Jessica Laurance (CBT) in a close final with Jessica running 11.86 and Grace 11.89. The fast race saw another two sub-12 performances. UTS Norths athlete Morgan Kelaher, daughter of an Athletics NSW official, clocked 11.94, holding off Georgia Munro (MQH) 11.97. Tenth place ran 12.25 !

Caitlyn Ferrier (ASW) broke her two-and-half year PB to run a World U20 qualifier of 53.85 in the 400m final. There was another qualifier in the 800m, when Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN) clocked a PB 2:05.96 to defeat Georgia Purcell (BLM) 2:07.83. It was a high quality race with 1500m qualifier Nicola Hogg (UTN) in fourth. Imogen Gardiner (UTN) ran a quick 9:39.45 3000m in the wet conditions on Sunday.

Mali Lovell (UTN) ran well in the para ambulant sprints with times of 15.75 and 32.83, as she edges towards her Tokyo standards. Winner on percentages of both sprint events was Lucia Bruce-Gilchrist (BAL) a T41 athlete in times of 20.09 and 45.20. The highest points performance was Tamsin Colley (HIL) a T36 athlete in the 800m running 3:01.31.

U18

Coffs Harbour dominated the distance events, claiming all three gold medals. Hayley Kitching was very impressively taking the 800m (2:10.07) and 1500m (4:29.33), while running in the rain, Olissa Onley won the 3000m by 42 seconds in 9:59.94. In the field, Ryde’s Sophie Kavanagh won a double. She claimed the high jump on countback with a 1.65m clearance, then set a PB in the long jump of 5.68m - a 30cm winning margin. In the shot put Kaitlyn Coulter (BAN) was locked in a close battle with discus specialist Ashlyn Blackstock (EAS). Kaitlyn nailed the win in the fifth round with a large PB of 15.59m, with Ashlyn placing second with 14.89m. UTS Norths hurdler Georgia Fichardt overcame a strong field in the 100m hurdles in an excellent winning time of 14.02, ahead of Amelia Duncan (CHE) 14.31.

U17

Emma Lee (SUT) was outstanding in the sprints, taking the double against quality competition. In the 100m she held off Aleksandra Stoilova (WES) 11.82 to 11.89. In the 200m, running into a strong wind in the rain, Emma held off Olivia Rose Inkster (SUT) 24.73 to 24.79. Emma’s 100m time was just 0.02 seconds outside the World U20 Champs standard and almost certainly in more favourable conditions, both girls would have clocked 200m qualifiers. Olivia earlier narrowly won the 400m in 56.35 from Paige Campbell (UTN) 56.51. Ada Rand (STG) ran hard from the gun in the 800m to clock 2:09.41, winning by seven seconds. In the 1500m, Imogen Stewart (ILL) recorded her second World U20 qualifier in three days, running 4:19.21 to win by 20 seconds. In the 100m hurdles Sienna Bond (UTN) ran a quick 14.17 to win by just 0.01 second from Alexandra Richards (BAL) 14.18. Sienna later won the long jump with a leap of 5.81m. Molly Goetz (SUT) took dual gold in the throws. She won the discus by two metres with a throw of 41.36m and a close hammer throw competition with a consistent series of throws, topped by 48.75m.

In the para events, Indiana Copper, a T38 athlete won all the track events with her 100m time of 14.37 the highest scoring. Savannah Bus (GLN), T20, won two throwing events with 9.56m in the shot and defeated a field of five to take the discus with a throw of 32.33m.

U16

A breakthrough for Summah Harrison (POR) in the under-16 100m clocking her first sub-12 running 11.98. Delta Amidzovski (WOL) had her usual busy and successful program, winning the 90m & 200m hurdles (12.41 & 28.69), the high jump (1.69m) and long jump (5.79m). Her Athletics Wollongong club mate Tayissa Buchanan convincingly won the middle-distance double taking the 800m (2:15.19) and 1500m (4:41.56) events. One of NSW’s best rising stars in the javelin is Tali Baltineshter (SGD). Throwing consistently throughout, her first effort of 39.78m stood up for victory by two metres. Just one valid jump was enough for Raphaila Idris (CBT) to take the triple jump with a leap of 11.65m.

U15

There were two great battles by the same three athletes in the distance events. In the 1500m, Sarah Baker (UTN) took the win in 4:37.27, narrowly from Aspen Lambert (TRI) with 4:38.78 and Amelia Norton (KEJ) 4:39.64. In rain the 3000m was just as close, with Sarah again taking the win in 10:05.99, from Amelia running 10:06.84 and Aspen third in 10:07.84.

St George’s Izobelle Louison-Roe dominated the jumps, claiming the high jump with 1.65m by 10cm and triple jump with 11.00m. She was also second in the long jump (4.95m). The long jump winner was Temora’s Grace Krause with a tremendous 5.29m, she was also second in the triple. Sienna Pitcher (MIN) won the 3000m walk by over a minute in a swift time of 14:53.77.

Tamworth’s Abbie Peet, a T36 athlete, recorded the best performance in the Ambulant competition running 6:56.54 in the 1500m. Wollongong’s Telaya Blacksmith, T20, won the 100m and long jump combination with performances of 14.27 and 4.41m respectively.

U14

Balmain’s Bronte Locane was a comfortable winner of the sprints, particularly strong in the 200m with a 0.7 second winning margin. Another comfortable winner by Bankstown’s Cheyene Murray in the 800m clocking 2:15.31. A big PB for Tammin Lampret (SUT) in winning the 80m hurdles in 12.58. An athlete to watch in the future was the fastest in the heats Erin Blayney (UTN) who had a mishap in the final. Second placed getter in the 80m hurdles, Piper Todd (BAN), had a busy weekend winning the javelin (32.49m) and finishing a close second in the under-15 200m hurdles.

 

MALE EVENTS

U20

There were fireworks in the sprints. Leroy Reid (MQH) clocking 10.87 was out dipped in the 100m by Campbelltown’s Phillip Baker 10.86 and Wollongong’s Sam Zustovich 10.86 as six athletes dipped under 11 seconds. Leroy bounced back in his pet event the 200m with a strong run timed at 22.05 into a headwind and in the rain. In the 400m, ACT’s Augustine Nketia won in 47.99. NSW’s top-3, with a little progression could be inline for World U20 selection in the 4x400m relay. Andrew Goschnik (STG) ran 48.32, William Grabowski (CMD) clocked 48.36 and hurdler Dominic Panozzo (UTN) 48.44. Dominic also won the 400m hurdles in 54.44 and last weekend ran an amazing time of 52.77. Already qualified in the 400m for the World U20s, Joshua Atkinson (HIL) ran his second fastest time of 1:51.36 in the 800m. SA’s Jett Carlin, threw a PB of 66.21m in the hammer throw as he chases the World U20 standard of 68.50m.

Hills para sprinter Sammy Muamba (T20) won the Ambulant sprint double in times of 11.72 and 24.18. His 100m was a very high standard, indicated by his percentage of 91%. He also added the long jump to his gold tally with a leap of 5.30m, just 1cm below his PB. Sammy’s Hills club mate Edward Parker (T20) won the 400m in 56.06 – just outside his PB. Third in the 400m in a PB time of 61.01 was Orange’s Aaron Houston. He won the 800/1500 distance double, with his 800m time of 2:14.61 a PB. Second in the 400m and 800m, in times just outside his PBs was Randwick Botany’s James Tirado (T13) in performances of 57.38 and 2:16.61. Cameron Murray (PAR) set PBs in the discus (27.20m) and long jump (4.11m) winning gold and silver medals respectively in the events.

After competing in the Canberra Track Classic on Thursday night, Ethan Moos (HIL) returned to Sydney to compete in championships where his highlight of his four wins in the wheelchair event was a PB in the 400m with 71.05.

 

U18

Orange’s Ben Jones (TRI) made a big improvement in the 400m running a very fast 48.41. On Sunday, in the rain, Ben then lined up on the 800m against Charlie Jeffreson (Kings) who the prior night had broken the NSW under-18 800m record and Balmain’s Kane Shields. It was a terrific race with Charlie taking the win in 1:54.64, and Ben second (1:55.50) and Kane third (1:56.02). Darcy Holmes cleared 20.04 for a comfortable win. There was a close battle for gold in the long jump with Renato Pane (ASW) taking the win with a windy 7.06m ahead of William Moir’s 6.95m jump.

In the throws, Jack Greaves (TRI) launched the 700g javelin out to 74.47m, to just break the NSW record by 7cm. The previous record was set in 1994 by Tamworth’s Andrew Hawthorne.

U17

Westfields’ athlete Rashid Kabba was seemingly everywhere, winning three gold and a silver. His performances were also outstanding - 10.72 in the 100m for a comfortable win and 14.01 in the 110m hurdles. In the rain and into a headwind he took the 200m in 22.49 seconds and leapt 6.26m in the long jump for silver – an event abandoned after three rounds due to storms. In the 100m Rashid led four athletes under 100 seconds. Second was Armidale’s Oliver Garrett a new star on the rise with his 10.87 time. After coasting to victory in the 400m in 49.57 seconds, Trinity’s Michael King, defeated a strong field in the 800m, clocking 1:53.50, ahead of Nicolas Rodgers (RBH) 1:54.33 and Nathan Stanmore (BAL) 1:54.56. Another Trinity athlete Benjamin Stevens won the shot/discus double with marks of 16.31m and 46.89m.

Bankstown’s Cormac Ryan, just missed PBs in the wheelchair 100m and 400m with times of 18.43 and 67.18 seconds.

U16

Tamworth’s Liam Gordon (ILL) steamed home over the last 100m to clinch victory in the 400m in a quick 50.19 seconds. There were comfortable wins for Oliver Neate (RBH) in the middle-distance event in times of 2:03.11 (800m) and 4:09.90 (1500m).

A good hurdles double to Liam Coles (MIN) in impressively times of 13.44 (100H) and 27.89 (200H). His Mingara club mate, George Wells was outstanding in the shot, winning by over two metres with his second attempt of 18.15m. George also won the discus (50.87m).

U15

Billy Blair (BAL) won a treble across the weekend. He had a narrow win in the 100m in an outstanding time of 11.24, then claimed the 100m & 200m hurdles double. His 100 hurdles win was by nearly one second. St Joseph College’s Leon Schouten comfortably won the 400m and 800m in impressive times of 51.64 and 2:02.11. There was another distance double when Oliver White (SYDA) took the 1500m (4:14.02) and 3000m (9:19.77).

Illawong, well-known for developing high jumpers, have another tremendous talent in Kurt Michael, who won with his first clearance at 1.75m, by 15cm. Campbelltown’s Daniel Kasozi won the javelin with his second throw of 46.99m. In the shot at the end of round three he was leading with 14.55m and then on the last put of the competition set the 4kg implement out to 15.71m. In the 3000m walk, Isaac Beacroft won the race with an impressive time of 13:54.89.

Three athletes Matthew Engesser (T37, HIL), Kynan Miller (T44, NOW) and Cooper Robb-Jackson (T38, PAR) battled out the eight under-15 Ambulant events. Cooper won five events, with Matthew taking two wins and Kynan the discus. The leading performance on percentages was Cooper’s 800m win in 2:44.06 where he broke his PB.

U14

  1. McGroder (TRI) won the long jump with a leap of 5.28m, but in the triple jump exploded out to 11.55m for a metre plus win. His club mate at Trinity, Jozef Cluff comfortably won the shot (14.42m) and javelin (39.96m). There was a close battle in the 3000m walk with Dylan Allabush (ASW) taking victory in a time of 16:27.16 ahead of Thomas Varga-Strike (HIL) with 16:31.99. There was an outstanding win by two seconds in a PB by Andres Hampel (UTN) in the 90m hurdles in a time of 13.58.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Girls U18 1500m final Coffs Harbour duo Olissa Onley & Hayley Kitching with ACT's Lucy Hincksman and Newcastle's Montana Monk (image courtesy of Fred Etter)



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