Record Rampage Rolls on as Thorne Torches Day Three in Brisbane

They say a rising tide lifts all ships, and Australia’s rising stars have proved exactly that at a historic 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships, with Day Three results led by Terrell Thorne while New South Wales were crowned champions.

Completing the sweep of Australian Under 18 Boys’ national records in the sprints after Gout Gout’s 100m and 200m feats, Thorne (QLD) left it all on the track over 400m to clock an Australian Under 18 record of 45.64 - eclipsing Paul Greene’s 45.96 mark from 1989.

Smooth throughout the one-lap showdown, Thorne backed up his success at the 2024 World Under 20 Championships in Lima where he finished seventh in the 400m, returning to Brisbane to rewrite the record books in his final race as an Under 18 athlete.

“That’s my last race for this year, so it was my last chance to get the Australian Under 18 record. It was pretty nerve-racking for the last few days but it’s great to get it,” Thorne said.

“Today was one of my most serious races. It wasn’t more important than Peru [World U20’s], but it was definitely up there.”

Records continued to tumble as Seth Kennedy (QLD) stormed home in the Under 17 400m in 47.05, taking down the meet record which had stood since 1983. Buoyed by the support of his home crowd, the 16-year-old carved almost half-a-second off his personal best, while Naomi Krajancic (NSW) also set a Championship record of 54.49 for the Under 15 Girls’ event. 

Finishing her four-event program with three golds and one silver, Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW) delivered the most versatile performance of the Championships when soaring to 1.80m in the high jump and hurdling to 14.01 (+0.8) for gold and silver respectively on Day Three.

Only Tasmania’s Isabella Wing could topple Louison-Roe across the weekend when flashing to a 13.81 (+0.8) performance in the Under 18 Girls’ 100m Hurdles, while Louison-Roe won gold in the Triple Jump (w13.24m), Long Jump (5.95m) and High Jump (1.80m).

Adding to the hurdling action, Harrison Purcell (QLD) blitzed the field in the Under 18 Boys’ 110m Hurdles when racing to a career-best 13.51 (0.0).

Leading the charge in the Para ranks, Paralympian Telaya Blacksmith (NSW) prevailed with a 5.21m (+1.2) leap for a score of 83.89 in the Under 20 Para Long Jump to secure her third gold medal ahead of Keira Post (SA) on the BASELINE system, with Post jumping a personal best of 3.87m for 73.13 in a consistent sequence.

Also on the runway, Amalia Bond (NSW) set a new Championship record of 12.42m (+0.6) in the Under 15 Girls’ Triple Jump when going well clear of the former mark of 12.26m. 

On the field, Western Australia’s Lauren Kelly impressed in the Under 17 Shot Put, throwing 16.70m to take down the field by almost one metre. Riley Jay Henry-Purcell (QLD) was forced to settle for silver, even with her season’s best of 15.82, while Allira Takau (QLD) impressed in the Under 18 ranks with a 16.43m effort for gold.

Adding to the sprinting action, Western Australia’s Emilia Reed broke the Under 15 Girls’ 100m twice in a matter of hours, clocking 11.71 (+1.4) in the final after an 11.77-second showing in the heats - both well under the former meet record of 11.93.

While the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian All Schools Athletics Championships will officially conclude at the completion of On Track Night’s Zatopek:10 where the Under 15-18 3000m races will take place, New South Wales were crowned champions in Brisbane with an significant lead.

South Australia were crowned the Small States Champions.

Full results can be found HERE.

Team scores at the conclusion of Day Three:

New South Wales – 1604

Queensland – 1541

Victoria – 1320

South Australia – 797.5

Western Australia – 696

North Queensland – 621

Australian Capital Territory – 596

Tasmania – 518

Northern Territory – 168.5

By Lachlan Moorhouse and Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted 8/12/2024