News
Juniors Day 3: Hamish & Andy feature but the results steal the show
On a brilliant day of action at the Australian Junior Athletics Championships, six athletes from three states today booked their ticket to the world junior championships in Moncton, Canada, in July. The outstanding showcase of junior talent was then interrupted by radio personality-come-athletes Hamish Blake and Andy Lee, much to the delight of the crowd at Sydney Olympic Park.
Competing in a 4x400m relay as part of their bi-bi-tri-biathlon, a marathon weekend of 24 sports, the pair was joined by NSWIS athlete Kevin Moore and Australian Flame representative Ryan Gregson in action on the track, only to be trounced by five underage state teams.
After an action-packed morning, the afternoon session began with Queenslander Caitlin Sargent taking line honours in the girls’ under 20 100m in a wind affected 12.13, ahead of Jasmine Everett (12.14) and Larissa Pasternatsky (12.21). Excited about her imminent selection to the world junior championships, Sargent will now shift her focus to tomorrow's 200m.
“To come and run this well and be so healthy and prepared is just great, plus I have to admit that I am so excited about getting a chance to compete for Australia in Canada,” Sargent said.
“I still have the 200m though and it’s a really, really competitive field so the meet is not yet over and while this is great I am keen to run well against some strong girls tomorrow.”
With numerous world junior qualifying times to his name in the lead-up to these championships local athlete Patrick Fakiye is set to join Sargent in the world junior team after a strong win in the boys’ under 20 100m (10.70). Fakiye shared the dais with fellow world junior championships contender Mathew Turk (second - 10.73) of Victoria and Queenslander Tom Gamble (third – 10.83).
In the girls’ under 20 one-lap event, Anneleise Rubie of New South Wales took the title in a time of 53.88 ahead of Melissa McKinnon (second – 54.82) and Shannon Smith (third – 54.99) and in the process, locked in her world junior selection.
Looking forward to the world junior championships in Canada, Rubie said: “I just wanted to qualify, that was the plan so I’m really rapt with the result.
“I could hear them coming at me at the end so I had to dig a bit, I felt strong coming into the home straight so I’m confident and that’s something that I have been building towards all season.”
In what was one of the most competitive runs of the day, New Zealander Alex Jordan (47.61) narrowly took the boys’ one-lap event from Australian favourites Joel Bee (second - 47.71) of Victoria and New South Welshman Steven Solomon (third – 47.77) to qualify for the Kiwi world junior championships team.
The much anticipated boys’ under 20 1500m also lived up to its hype as the race of the day, with local athlete Josh Johnson taking the field out at a blistering pace only to be run down by New South Welshman and eventual winner Todd Wakefield (3:47.44), Brett Robinson (second – 3:47.94) from the ACT and Athletics Australia Under 19 Talent Squad member Kane Grimster (third - 3:47.97) of Victoria.
“I’m thrilled, it’s great and it’s fantastic. It has always been the main goal to win nationals and go to Canada,” Wakefield said.
“The field in today’s race was strong and it was a real battle all the way but everything has fallen into place, now it’s back to base training and a lot of work to hopefully make a final at the world juniors.”
In the field, Lara Neilsen of Queensland threw 56.04m to record her first world junior qualifier, taking victory in the girls’ under 20 hammer throw and cementing a spot on the world junior team. Tasmania’s Danni McConnell (51.71m) placed second with New South Wales athlete Melissa Prior (48.57m) finishing third.
An outstanding 6.30m leap in the girls’ under 20 long jump secured the national title for Victoria’s Brooke Stratton ahead of Queenslanders Tara Whitehead (second – 6.22m) and Kertisha Thompson (third – 5.83m). Stratton’s jump was her third at a world junior qualifying level and together with the national title, guarantees her selection for the world junior championships in July.
The final day of the inaugural Australian Junior Athletics Championships will kick off with Athletics Australia Under 19 Talent Squad member Jake Hammond in the boys’ under 20 200m. Hammond has two world junior qualifiers to his name and will be looking to seal his selection with the national title. The boys’ under 20 800m will be a race for selection with Kuey Diew, Alex Rowe and Adrian Plummer all in contention, each having previously bettered the qualification mark.
In the field the boys’ under 20 javelin throw will be headlined by 2009 world youth championships finalist Luanga Andria, while on the high jump mats world youth championships silver medallist and local talent Amy Pejkovic will strut her stuff.
For full results please click here.
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletters to keep up to date with Athletics in Australia.
More Headlines
_stack_WEB_4e0d093feac62.jpg)
