World U20 Championships Day 6: Erin Shaw setting the bar high

7 August 2022

World U20 Championships Day 6: Erin Shaw setting the bar high

Sydney high jumper Erin Shaw was one of the last NSW athletics to compete at the World U20 Championships on the sixth and last day of competition in Cali, Columbia.

Erin’s good lead-up form, where she set a PB in June, continued into the World U20s. In the final she was in the mix from the start equalling her 1.85m PB on her first attempt. With just five athletes remaining, the bar then went to 1.88m and Erin was over on her second attempt. But the next height, 1.91m, would be too high, as she finished a brilliant fourth.
The height was the equal best ever by an Aussie at the World Juniors and elevated her to number six Australian U20 all-time. The standard this year was the highest ever at these championships, as Erin’s 1.88m, would have finished on the podium at 8 of the last 10 championships.
“I’m happy with how I was able to perform under pressure at my first international competition, I’m pretty proud but fourth is very annoying – a bit of a frustrating one,” Shaw told Athletics Australia’s Lachlan Moorehouse.
“I felt really good at 1.91m, my three attempts were close and I was able to improve on each jump.”

NSW sisters Jasmin and Bella Guthrie were again on relay duty in the final of the 4x400 metres. 400m finalists Ellie Beer started the team off and handed over the baton to Bella Guthrie in seventh place. Bella ran a strong leg early, then lifted on the home straight but found it tough to improve the team position as she was behind a wall of athletes. Queensland Txai Anglin was in a similar position, blocked by traffic. On the anchor Jasmin Guthrie work hard on her leg, lifting the team to sixth, as they clocked a fabulous 3:34.86. The time would have won Australia the silver medal at the World U20s last year. It was also the sixth fastest time in Australian junior history.

Sydney’s Laura Roderick was the last distance runner in action for Australia. In just the third 5000m race of her career, she placed 15th in 17:21.07.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Erin Shaw. (image courtesy of Fred Etter)