The spotlight belonged to a quartet of New South Wales sprinters who set a new national record on the second day of junior athletics in Brisbane, as steeplechaser Helena Butler and race walker Ela Uzun continued their hot form.
Headed by Maya Taber and Rhema Adelaja who were joined by fellow talents Maddie Gifford and Matilda Harrison, New South Wales was dominant in their race to gold on the national stage –also eclipsing the Australian Under 18 record.
Clocking a time of 44.43-seconds, the team took down Queensland’s mark of 44.70-seconds which was set at the 2025 Australian Athletics Championships, flexing both their speed and teamwork between a busy schedule of individual events.
14-year-old Ela Uzun (VIC) lit up the Under 18 Girls 5000m Race Walk with a stunning gun-to-tape performance, taking down her older rivals in a time of 22:42.12 to win by over 60-seconds – Matilda Webb (NSW) taking silver in 23:42.57.
World Cross Country Championships representative Helena Butler (QLD) continued her blockbuster program when winning the Under 18 Girls 2000m Steeplechase by over 15-seconds in a scorching 6:46.35, doubling back from yesterday’s 3000m silver.
The 16-year-old also won steeplechase bronze in the Open ranks at the Australian Athletics Championships in Sydney last week, and finished 12th in the 5000m.
A rising crop of quarter milers staked their claim in Brisbane as Dylan Ruming (NSW) punched in a new championship record of 47.17-seconds in the Under 18 Boys 400m final, while Owen Veltman (VIC) impressed for the Under 17 Boys event in a time of 47.56-seconds.
In the Under 17 Girls 400m, 15-year-old Ginger Gleeson (WA) set a new personal best of 55.81-seconds to take home the Australian title behind Kiwi rival Eden Moyle (NZL).
Para-athlete Lara Pearson (VIC) continued her impressive weekend when doubling back from yesterday’s Under 17 Girls 100m Para triumph to clinch silver over 400m, tearing to the line in 1:02.24 for a score of 89.95 points on the BASELINE system.
In the field, Lily Woods (QLD) leapt to her second gold of the weekend with a 5.77m (-1.9) performance in the Under 17 Girls Long Jump when harnessing the blustery conditions, while Harrison Dolman (VIC) eclipsed the seven-metre barrier to win the Under 18 Boys crown with 7.10m (-0.3).
The 400m events at the 2026 World Athletics Under 20 Championships are some of the most in-demand Australian team spots with a host of qualifiers ahead of tomorrow’s finals, where the fastest qualifiers were Chase Grant (NSW) and Dashiell Muir (VIC) for the men, and Sophie Walker (WA) and Alice Hill (NSW) for the women.
The 2026 Australian Athletics Junior (Under Age) Championships will continue tomorrow at 9:00am AEST, with Australian viewers able to tune in via 7plus from 12:00pm AEST.
By Lachlan Moorhouse, Australian Athletics
Posted 16/4/2026
