Sydney Track Classic – Five Internationals who will be great competition for the NSW athletes

11 March 2025

Sydney Track Classic – Five Internationals who will be great competition for the NSW athletes

Five international athletes from Japan, Singapore, Great Britain and Sri Lanka are going to provide perfect opposition for the local NSW athletes at the Chemist Warehouse Sydney Track Classic on Saturday night at Homebush.

WOMEN 800m – Rin Kubo, Japan

Japan’s Rin Kubo is a revelation in her countries distance running. Aged just 17, she is the first Japanese athlete to run sub-2 minutes for 800m. She now holds the National U18, U20 and open records. The Aussie line-up is extraordinary, but they are all familiar with each other but Rin Kubo will add a new dynamic to the race. There are three sub-2-minute Aussies in the race: NSW pair Bendere Oboya and Carley Thomas, along with Olympic semi-finalist Claudia Hollingsworth.

MEN 400m Hurdles – Soujiro Mortaka, Japan

NSW’s Tom Hunt has had a brilliant 12 months and is ready to take that next step. The National champion has started the season with a solid 50.85 400m hurdles and last week sprinted to a 400m PB time of 46.81. Tom’ss lifetime best over the hurdles, 50.26, has him on the cusp of breaking a significant barrier. Japan’s Soujiro Mortake has only once run outside of Japan, that was the 2022 World U20 championships where he was a finalist. Last year she clocked six sub-50 times, and we can expect him to push Tom to the finish line.

WOMEN High Jump – Emily Borthwick, GBR

English high jump Olympian, Emily Borthwick will be terrific competition for four NSW high jumpers on the rise. Emily, who has a PB of 1.95m and has already cleared 1.84m indoor this year. Having moved permanently to Australian this week, the Tokyo Olympian will mix it nicely with Emily Whelan (1.91m this year), Alex Harrison (PB 1.85m), Izzy Louison-Roe (1.88m this summer) and Erin Shaw (PB 1.90m).

WOMEN 100m – Veronica Shanti Pereira, Singapore

Singapore’s Veronica Shanti Pereira will have fond memories was of as it was the country in 2023 where she commenced her breakthrough season setting four National records over 100m and 200m on her tour down under. The Paris Olympian has gone on to rewrite the list National records with 16 improvements in the 100m, 200m and 400m. Now an elite 11.20 sprinter, she will be ideal competition for the entire Sydney Track Classic field including NSW duo Ella Connolly (PB 11.25), Kristie Edwards (PB 11.28) and Queenslander Chloe Mannix-Power (11.46).

MEN Javelin throw – Rumesh Tharanga Pathiragem, Sri Lanka

Sri Lankan Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage has been in amazing form down under this summer. In Perth he hit 85.41m – a new meet record – and just missed his PB (and former National record) by 4cm. After opening the season with 75.15m in Perth, Rumesh will be the perfect opposition for Sydney’s Olympian Cameron McEntyre who owns a PB of 82.01m. competition

Competition at the Sydney Track Classic gets underway at 6.00pm Saturday night at Homebush. Ticket details are: https://bit.ly/STC2025-Tickets

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Rumesh Tharanga Pathirage and Emily Borthwick