20 years ago this week the Olympic Stadium hosted the Australian Olympic trials and NSW All Schools

Published Wed 19 Aug 2020

18 August 2020

20 years ago this week the Olympic Stadium hosted the Australian Olympic trials and NSW All Schools

This week, 20-years-ago, Australia’s leading athletes were just five weeks away from a home Olympics where they would compete in-front of a patriotic home crowd in a stadium which seated 110,000. But they had one final hurdle the trials on the Olympic Stadium. Present to enjoy the occasion was the next generation of NSW athletes who were given an inspiring opportunity of a lifetime when the NSW All Schools Championships were held in-conjunction with the four-day Olympic trials at the Olympic stadium.

NSW and Australian athletes were at different stages of their career. Teenager Jana Pittman was at the very start of her career; it was early years for 21-year-old Matt Shirvington, while for Melinda Gainsford-Taylor, she was seeking selection in her final career competition.

With a long leadup and many competition opportunities, there were not many surprises at the trial. Some of the NSW highlights were:

Matt Shirvington ran a slick 10.11 in the 100m final winning easily from Pat Johnston.
There was controversy in the 1500m when metres from the line, while challenging NSW’s Youcef Abdi, Craig Mottram fell. Eventually he would be given a place in the team in the 5000m when Shaun Creighton gave up his spot (he was also selected in the 10,000m). Abdi, without a qualifying mark, was not selected.
Melinda Gainsford-Taylor sealed her selection winning the 200m (22.82) and placed second in the 100m.
Future hammer throwing coach, Karyne Di Marco won a close hammer throw event with a distance of 63.66m.
Other NSW winners who gained Olympic selection were Debbi Edwards (100m H), Jana Pittman (400m H), Grant Cremer (800m), Peter Burge (long jump), Adrian Hatcher (javelin), Louise Currey (javelin) and Jane Jamieson (heptathlon).

Future stars who got an opportunity to compete on the Olympic stadium were:

18-year-old Victorian Steve Hooker placed last in the pole vault clearing 4.70m.
Another 18-year-old NSW’s Ben St Lawrence was 14th in the steeplechase clocking 9:22.22
Future NSW coaches, Andrew Murphy (2nd), Greg Wiencke (6th), Llanley Crowder (7th) and Alex Stewart (10th) were competing in the triple jump.

2000 NSW All Schools

The senior ages (16-19 years) of the 2000 NSW All Schools were integrated into the Olympic trials held this week in August 2000. A number of future Olympians were competing. Warners Bay High student, Benn Harradine won the 19-years discus. Eight years later in Beijing he would make the first of three Olympic appearances. In 2010 he was Commonwealth Games champion and in 2013 set the current Australian record. Winning the 17-years long jump was Westfields Sports High student Fabrice Lapierre. Five weeks later he would volunteer at the Sydney Olympics as a results runner in the media section and two years later won silver at the world juniors championships. His illustrious senior career included two Olympics, four Commonwealth Games and five outstanding medals at World Indoors, Commonwealths, World Cups and World Championships.

In the 19-years high jump, Wollongong’s Petrina Price won with a clearance of 1.80m. The next year she would win a medal at the World Youth Championships and competed at the Athens Olympics.

London 2012 Olympians, Jeff Hunt (marathon) and Issac Ntiamoah were less prominent, proving you don’t need to be a star junior to become an Olympian. Hunt was second in the steeplechase and third in the 1500m, while Ntiamoah was just seventh in the 19-years 100m.

Other future internationals included:

Haylee Butler (nee Cameron), 2011 world championships – second in the 16-years 100m hurdles.
Claire Mallett, 2006 Commonwealth Games – first 16-years high jump
Kris Neofytou, 2005 World Championships – first 16-years 100/200/400
James Gurr, 2017 World Relays – fifth 17-years 400m

Other athletes of note:

Bronwyn Hager, Athletics NSW Recreational Running Course facilitator – 16-years 1500m/3000m
Bre Clement, leading NSW throws coach – second 16-years hammer throw
Matt Rawlings, leading NSW coach – 19-year 100m