22.12.2006

Success for Australia in Samoa

Australian athletes struck gold at the recent Oceania Championships in Samoa.

With the team consisting of under 18 and open athletes from Western Australia, Northern Territory and North Queensland, the meet started on a high note on December 14 with Om Halliday winning the very first event - the 6km cross-country.

In very hot and humid conditions the Australian athletes went on to win a total of 19 gold medals, 11 silver and five bronze.

Our most prolific medal winner was Queenslander Jennifer Tagney who came away with two individual gold medals in the Under 18 women 100m and 200m and was a member of three relays teams (silver women open 4 x 100m relay, gold 4 x 100m under 18 team and gold under 18 medley relay.)

Other dual gold medallists were Brendan Wheelan who won both the half marathon and the open men 5000m. Josh Hall, who took the title in both the open men high jumps and the under 18s, jumping 2.07m and 2.03m respectively, was also given the honour of being the athlete of the meet as voted by the Oceania board members.

Oceania Championship medal winners:

Gold    
Half marathon – Brendan Wheelan
400mh - Chloe Butler
High jump - Casey Narrier*
100m U18 - Jennifer Tagney
200m U18 - Jennifer Tagney
800m U18 - Rebecca Jenner
Javelin U18 - Shakira Winmar*
200m - Peter Tuccandidgee*
5000m - Brendan Wheelan
6km CC - Om Halliday
High jump - Josh Hall
Octathlon - Nathan Baart
800m - Joshua Ahwong*
High jump U18 - Josh Hall
Long jump U18 - Michael Gordon
Hammer throw U18 - Tom McGuire
Javelin U18 - Jamie Keehn
4 x 100m U18 - Sarah Busby, Sarah Mackaway*, Jane Merry, Jennifer Tagney
Medley relay U18 - Bessie Hayes, Michael Gordon, Jennifer Tagney,     Joshua Ahwong*.

Silver
400mh - Alyssa Taylor
Javelin - Tammy Baart*
400m U18 - Jane Merry
800m U18 - Jane Merry
1500m - Anthony McCourt
6km CC - Brendan Wheelan
Long jump - Jay Stone
100m U18 - Michael Gordon
400m U18 - Joshua Ahwong*
4 x 100m - Sarah Busby, Sarah Mackaway*, Bessie Hayes, Jennifer Tagney
4 x 100m U18 - James Buckby, Joshua Ahwong*, Scott Campbell, Michael Gordon

Bronze
100m U18 - Bessie Hayes
3km steeplechase - Om Halliday
Long jump - Nat Franklin*
110mh U18 - Jamie Keehn
4 x 100m - Lars Hansen, Otis Gowa*, Peter Tuccandidgee*, Duan Daley*

*Indigenous