Rising Stars Deliver Golden Finish in Adelaide | Australian Athletics Championships Day Nine

The rising stars of Australian athletics delivered a golden close to the ninth and final day of the 2024 Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships, finishing what their senior counterparts started as the curtains closed on showtime in Adelaide.

Nailing his second gold medal of the championships, 16-year-old Coffs Harbour product Daniel Williams (NSW) cruised to a new championship record of 3:48.97 in the Under 18 Boys 1500m, greeting the bell with an assertive move to shake off the field including trans-Tasman rival Cooper Wightman (NZL).

“I feel a little bit tired but I’m very happy! I have been here for quite a while, I have had five races before this one. I decided to miss the 800m (U18) final on Tuesday just because my legs were starting to feel all the races backing up, and I think that reflected today,” Williams said.

The result adds to Williams’ gold in the Under 20 Men's 1500m, which saw him punch his ticket to the 2024 World Under 20 Championships to be held in Lima this August, while Emma Fryga (QLD) completed the Under 16 Girls 400m, 800m and 1500m triple when clocking 2:07.46 to round out her Adelaide campaign in style over 800m.

Roaring down the straight for the fifth time this week, Thewbelle Philp (QLD) displayed her dominance in the 100m, clocking 11.76 (-2.0), defeating not just the Under 17 Girls field but clocking a faster time than the age group above.

Amaya Mearns (QLD) completed the Under 18 sprint double, but the win did not come with ease as the 16-year-old took her time to overcome a slow start and stubborn headwind, lifting at the 60-metre mark to defeat a stacked field. The Queenslander crossed the line in 12.40 (-2.8).

Fellow sprint star Gout Gout (QLD) made it four gold medals from four starts, clocking 11.00 (-3.7) over 100m to cement himself as Australia’s fastest junior. Battling through the headwind, the teenage sensation dug deep to defeat John McDonald (NSW, 11.10) and training partner Jonathan Kasiano (QLD, 11.12).

Adding to the middle-distance action, Kieran Sheppard (ACT) bolted to national glory in the Under 16 Boys 800m in 1:56.27, adding the title to his victories over 3000m and 1500m earlier in the championships.

Versatile talent Izobelle Louison-Roe (NSW) leapt to a distance of 12.48m (+1.4) in the Under 18 Girls Triple Jump to lock away her sixth medal of the championships, landing on the podium across four different disciplines and securing her ticket to the 2024 World Athletics Under 20 Championships in the high jump.

Fresh off setting an Australian Under 16 record in the javelin, Tallara Joseph-Riogi (NSW) returned to give the 50m barrier a shake in the Under 18 Girls Discus, delivering a 49.98m throw to win with ease.

Full results from Day Nine can be found HERE.

The Chemist Warehouse Australian Athletics Championships, supported by the South Australian Government through the South Australian Tourism Commission, concludes today. Replays and videos on demand are available on Seven’s digital platform, 7plus.

By Lachlan Moorhouse and Sascha Ryner, Athletics Australia
Posted 19 April, 2024