The in-form Aidan Murphy has doubled down on his Oceania Athletics Championships heroics in Darwin, giving the 20-second barrier a shake once again as new mum Brooke Buschkuehl landed a knockout blow in the long jump.
The man of the moment Murphy (SA, Nik Hagicostas) blazed around the bend in a time of 20.05 (+0.06) to win the Men’s 200m and back up his 44.44-second showing over 400m, cementing his status as one of the area’s greatest sprinters.
Murphy warmed into proceedings with a 20.28 (-0.4) performance in the heats just hours earlier, before unleashing the effort in the final to delight the Darwin crowd.
“I was after a sub-20, but we are getting there. I’m happy to be injury-free and healthy,” Murphy said.
“We are always going to be under a lot of pressure here in Australia and I just wanted to show we can perform under pressure.
“I want to shoutout my team, my coach Nik Hagicostas and my parents. I’ve had my head down for two years in silence and I’m just happy to be here right now, finally seeing it all pay off.”
The Women’s 200m was won by Mia Gross (VIC, John Nicolosi) in 23.20 (+1.4) over Lakara Stallan (NSW, Andrew Murphy) in 23.55-seconds.
Commonwealth silver medallist Brooke Buschkuehl (VIC, self-coached) rose to the occasion in another thrilling contest with World Under 20 champion Delta Amidzovski (NSW, Becky Amidzovski), producing a 6.70m (+0.4) jump in the fifth round to win by one cenitmetre.
Amidzovski led early with 6.69m (+1.8) in the second round, before Buschkuehl’s experience shone in a copy of the Australian Athletics Championships – where Buschkuehl leapt 6.67m to win by two centimetres.
“I’m stoked! At the start of the season, I would have been so happy to jump a distance like that, so it’s an amazing feeling,” Buschkuehl said.
“I’m so proud how I’ve gone. I’m excited to see what happens next and how I progress, and I’m very happy with the team around me.”
Michelle Jenneke (NSW, Bronwyn Thompson) proved that she is still the fastest hurdler in Oceania when coasting to the Women’s 100m Hurdles title in 12.87 (+1.1), winning gold for the first time at the championships over Emily Britton (NSW, Mick Zisti) in 13.11.
“That time is what I was hoping to run. We went into a big training block, so my legs are pretty heavy,” Jenneke said.
“I’m really happy for that, it’s a really good launchpad as I head to Europe in a couple of weeks.”
Australian champion Aiden Hinson (VIC, Chloe Stevens) became the back-to-back Oceania champion in the Men’s Triple Jump, leaping 16.25m (-1.1) in the opening round to defeat the rising Awan Akuen (SA, self-coached) at 16.18m (+0.2), while Shemaiah James (QLD, Bronwyn Thompson) made it an Australian sweep with bronze at 15.96m (+1.5).
In the Men’s 800m, Luke Boyes (NSW, Ben St Lawrence) fought through an injury sustained during the race to take gold in a swift time of 1:46.83 when leading from gun to tape, while Cameron McEntyre (NSW, Angus McEntyre) launched the javelin 80.53m to win his first Oceania title.
The Oceania Athletics Championships are being at Darwin’s Arafura Stadium from May 18-23.
Full results can be found HERE.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 21/5/2026
