Day Two of the Australian Athletics Championships brought the heat and the highlights to Perth, with Patrick McMahon smashing the Australian Under 16 2000m steeplechase record and the 200m finals serving up sprinting talent in spades thanks to Leah O’Brien and Jonathan Kasiano.
Middle-distance runner Patrick McMahon (NSW) announced himself as a name to watch in the future when executing a strategic move in the U16 Boys 2000m Steeplechase to shatter his first Australian record.
McMahon waited patiently throughout the five-lap race, before emerging in the final 300m to when he overtook favourite Sam Newsham (QLD) and teammate Cedar Johnson (QLD). With Newsham in the lead and towing the field under the six-minute barrier, McMahon launched his attack, crossing the line in 5:54.22 to break the long-standing record of 5:55.06 held by James Matthews since 2002.
With Australian sprinting enjoying a golden run in the Open ranks this year, the nation’s juniors are proving that the discipline is in safe hands for years to come, with Jonathan Kasiano (QLD) and Leah O’Brien (WA) reigning supreme against white-hot fields in the U18 200m events.
While Kasiano clocked a personal best 21.26 (-1.6) to follow in the footsteps of his training partner Gout Gout, the victory wasn’t without the challenge of Seth Kennedy (QLD) and new kid on the block Kelechi Ekwomadu (SA) who ran the fastest qualification time earlier in the day with 21.22 (-2.0).
With all eyes on Queenslanders Thewbelle Philp and Amaya Mearns in the Under 18 Girls 200m after their sprinting showdown at the Australian All Schools Athletics Championships in December, fans were left in awe when local talent Leah O’Brien (WA) left the duo in her wake – claiming victory with a 0.6-second personal best despite the stubborn headwind.
O’Brien crossed the line in 23.37 (-1.1), while the Queenslanders could only be separated by a photo finish, with Philp pipping Mearns to the finish line in 23.68 (0.675) to 23.68 (0.676).
Lucas Chis (VIC) raced to an emphatic victory in the Under 18 Boys 800m, breaking the 1:50 barrier for the first time when stopping the clock in 1:49.53 to finish ahead of Nathaniel Clarke (NSW, 1:51.26) and Oscar McKean (QLD, 1:51.48), Meanwhile, Emma Fryga (QLD) blitzed the field in the Under 17 Girls event, crossing the line in 2:04.56 to leave the rest of the field behind with almost three seconds separating her from silver medallist Violet Owen (TAS).
Maddie Tarabay (VIC) can call herself the country’s most versatile athlete in her age group, claiming gold with a total of 5284 points across seven events after a triumphant day two in the Under 17 Heptathlon. In second position after day one of competition, Tarabay was able to topple Australian Under 16 record holder Sophie Williams (WA) by placing first in the Javelin Throw (42.89m) and 800m (2:20.58) to win by 83 points.
Perth local Williams was in pole position for another national gold, but came undone in the final two events placing third in the Javelin Throw (37.67m) and seventh in the 800m (2:37.37).
The one-lap specialists lit up the track in the heat of the day, with Victorian Owen Veltman spoiling the party for Tate Van Camp (QLD) in the Under 16 Boys event, with the duo punching new personal best times of 49.26 and 49.35 respectively.
In the Under 16 Girls event, Naomi Krajancic, Adelaide Pittis and Ruby Kernaghan came together for a New South Wales trifecta, with Krajancic flying home in 55.05 to take the Championship title, while London Rakanui (WA) who secured the Under 15 title in 55.26 for a new personal best.
In the para events, Victorian duo Lara Pearson and Eleanor Downey impressed in the Under 17 Girls 400m, each delivering strong performances in the T20 class, as Quinn Aitken (TAS, T41) claimed gold in 1:30.39 for a new lifetime best.
Daniel Phillips (QLD, T20) was all class in the U15 Boys Para 400m clocking another sub-60 time in 59.47, and the U17 Boys Para 400m showcased the depth of talent across the states, with Archie Dixon (TAS, T38), Thomas McGough (VIC, T38) claiming gold and silver in 57.12, while Jayden Graham (QLD, T20) round out the podium with a new personal best of 55.16.
The Australian Athletics Championships is part of the Chemist Warehouse Summer Series and is supported by the Western Australian Government through Tourism WA, as well as Venues West and Athletics West.
Day Three begins tomorrow at 9am AWST.
By Sascha Ryner, Australian Athletics
Posted 5/5/2025
