With medallists from the World Under 20 Championships, Paralympic and Olympic Games set to grace the track and field for Day Two of the Australian Open and Under 20 Athletics Championships, the WA Athletics Stadium is the place to be for athletes and fans alike.
All eyes will be on the clock as the likes of Lachlan Kennedy (QLD, Andrew Iselin) and Torrie Lewis (QLD, Laurent Meuwly) gear up for the 100m heats on what is staking its claim as the nation’s fastest track, but Day Two will belong to a host of stars chasing crowning moments on the national stage.
Paralympic bronze medallist Dayna Crees (VIC, Gordon Talbot, F34) makes her return to the Seated Javelin Throw where she looms as the favourite and will be chasing automatic selection for the 2025 World Para Athletics Championships, while fellow Paralympic medallists Rheed McCracken (NSW, Louise Sauvage, T34) and Angela Ballard (ACT, Jaime Green, T53) will spearhead the wheelchair racing over both 100m and 400m.
The fast-starting McCracken will be joined by Samuel McIntosh (VIC, Fred Periac, T52) who recently entered rare air when shattering the elusive 17-second barrier down the straight, as Luke Bailey (NSW, Louise Sauvage, T54) and Sam Carter (ACT, Fred Periac, T54) also throw their hat in the ring.
Western Australian sprinters Josiah John (Asad Hosseini) and Emilia Reed (Aaron Bresland) will coil into the blocks with hopes of continuing the home state’s success from the Under 13 – Under 18 championships, with the Under 20 events over 200m awaiting on Day Two in Perth.
The 17-year-old John was overshadowed by only teen phenom Gout Gout at December’s Australian All Schools Athletics Championships when clocking a career-best 20.87 (+1.5), now joining Reed in the race for gold after she set an Australian Under 16 record of 11.45 (+1.3) in the 100m earlier this week.
Australia’s multi-eventers lit up the opening day of the Women’s Heptathlon with Tori West (QLD, Eric Brown & Sam Leslie) establishing a buffer over emerging talents Emelia Surch (QLD, Glynis Nunn) and Mia Scerri (VIC, Ralph Newton & Rob Stevens) on a score of 3616 points.
Set to lean on her javelin prowess on the second day of the event, the Olympian will look to fend off challenges from Surch and Scerri in the long jump before the 800m ultimately dictates the Australian champion for 2025.
Paralympian Angus Hincksman (SA, Philo Saunders & Simon Moran) has gone all-in on the Men’s Para 1500m contest today and is the man to beat off the back of a breakthrough season, with the 19-year-old set to clash with a field of 13 including World Para Athletics Championships teammate Daniel Milone (VIC, Gavin Burren, T20), while Annabelle Colman (VIC, Liz Gosper & Anthony de Castella) headlines the Women’s Para 1500m.
In the junior ranks, World Under 20 silver medallist Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW, Karen Roe) will hit the runway for the Under 20 Women’s Triple Jump, while Charlotte McAuliffe (SA, Nik Hagicostas) will be a name to watch in the Under 20 Women’s 400m after posting the fastest time in the heats with 53.69-seconds.
World Athletics Indoor Championships bronze medallist Liam Adcock (QLD) will return to the site of his breakthrough 8.33m long jump personal best at the Perth Track Classic last month, while Australian Under 20 record holders over 800m Claudia Hollingsworth (VIC, Craig Mottram) and Peyton Craig (QLD, Craig Mottram & Brendan Mallyon) will also hit the track for the opening round of the two-lap showdowns also featuring Peter Bol (WA, Justin Rinaldi).
Opening proceedings for the day is the Women’s 10,000m Race Walk featuring rising stars Alexandra Griffin (WA, Jared Talent) and Olympic silver medallist Lorena Arenas (COL), while closing the night will be Cara Feain-Ryan (QLD, Ben Norton) in the Women’s 3000m Steeplechase having shown strong form throughout the Chemist Warehouse Summer Series.
The 2025 Australian Athletics Championships will be streamed live and free via 7plus from 12pm AWST. The Championships are also supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA, as well as Venues West and Athletics West.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 11/4/2025
