17 NSW athletes heading to the World Championships at TrackTown USA

Published Wed 06 Jul 2022

6 July 2022

17 NSW athletes heading to the World Championships at TrackTown USA

Today 17 NSW athletes have been named in the Australian team for the World Championships, to be held at the iconic Hayward Field in Eugene, America. The NSW athletes are members of a 64-strong Australian team that will compete across 10 days commencing July 15. 16 of the 17 NSW athletes selected today for Eugene, were recently named to compete at the Commonwealth Games, a week later in Birmingham.

Four athletes continue their long representation at these championships. For Steve Solomon and Nick Hough, it is their fifth World Championships and for Michelle Jenneke and Brandon Starc their fourth appearances.

Alex Hulley, who competed at the World Youth, World Juniors and has been on a senior team at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, makes her senior global championship debut in Oregon. Her selection also signals a comeback for Australian hammer throwing to the senior global stage. Australia, a pioneering country in women’s hammer throwing in the ‘90s, has not placed a male or female athlete at a global meet for 18 years, since the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Javelin thrower Cameron McEntyre, who followed a similar pathway through juniors as Alex, and competed at the World Youth and World Juniors, makes his senior debut.

Also in the green and gold for the first occasion is long jumper Samantha Dale, who improved 40cm last summer, up to 6.72m and now number seven Australian All-time.

TrackTown connections

The World Championships will be held at the recent renovated iconic TrackTown Hayward Field. A number of NSW athletes have a strong connection with the venue. Three NSW athletes won NCAA crowns at the 2018 NCAA Championships. Jessica Hull and Olli Hoare won 1500m titles and Mackenzie Little the Javelin gold.

For Jessica Hull, she would make it her home away from home. She had made her international debut at the Field in 2014 at the World Juniors, where she placed seventh in the 3000m. She would go on to attend the University of Oregon and train and compete at the venue. She now lives in the area and continues to train on the track.

Nicola Olyslagers (nee McDermott) also competed at the 2014 World Juniors and has jumped there at the Prefontaine Diamond Leagues. During Steve Solomon’s US college career he made it to two NCAA finals, five years apart in 2013 and 2018 and both were at Hayward Field.

Jessica, Olli and Nicola all compete this year at the Prefontaine Diamond League on the renovated Hayward Field, while Ed Trippas ran at the NCAAs this year on the new venue. Javelin thrower Cameron McEntyre competed at one of the first events held at the refurbished Hayward Field in April, where he set a his PB of 81.96m.

Central Coast race walker Carl Gibbons, is named in his second global meet in five months. Last March he competed in the World Race Walking Teams Championships in Oman. He contest the inaugural world championships 35km event in Oregon.

Congratulations to coaches Andrew Murphy, Angus McEntyre and Alex Stewart who have all placed two athletes each on the team, while, Sydney University have five athletes and Bankstown three selected.

The Australia team have already started to assemble in Seattle, the Australian base ahead of the world championships, which commence on July 15.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

NSW members of the Australian Team for the 2022 World Championships

WOMEN (9)

1500m Jessica Hull (Pete Julian, Bankstown Sports)

5000m Rose Davies (Scott Westcott, Newcastle Runners), Jessica Hull

100m Hurdles Michelle Jenneke (Gary Bourne, Sydney University)

400m Hurdles Sarah Carli (Melissa Smith, Kembla Joggers)

High Jump Nicola Olyslagers (nee McDermott) (Matt Horsnell, Sydney University), Eleanor Patterson (Alex Stewart, Bankstown Sports)

Long Jump Samantha Dale (Andrew Murphy, Cherrybrook Athletics)

Hammer Throw Alexandra Hulley (Karyne Di Marco, Sutherland).

Javelin Throw Mackenzie Little (Angus McEntyre, Sydney University)