2024 Australian Junior Champs: Days 1 & 2 Review

17 April 2024

2024 Australian Junior Champs: Days 1 & 2 Review

It has been a very successful first two days for our NSW athletes at the five-day Australian Junior Championships in Adelaide this week.

Tallara Joseph-Riogi nails National javelin record

Arriving in Adelaide with a javelin PB of 46.63m, Tallara Joseph-Riogi, 14, landed her three valid throws well past this including two over the old Australian U16 record of 51.09m, with a best of 51.69m.

The Year 9 Canterbury Girls student admitted to being very nervous before she started. She warmup for the javelin with a win in the discus with a throw of 40.77m.

Tallara has been working towards such an achievement.

“Like all athletes there have been a few bumps on the road, but it shows hard work pays off.”

One-two 400m hurdles finish by Parker Bohman and Christian Kotis

Just 0.02 second separated NSW 400m hurdling duo Parker Bohman and Christian Kotis in the thrilling under-18 event. In the heats, just half a second separated the top-3 with NSW’s Park Bohman the fastest. They were clearly in good form with Parker and Christian Kotis running close to their PBs.

The final went down to the wire, with Parker out dipping Christian by 0.02 seconds as both athletes clocked two second PBs with times of 53.63 and 53.65 respectively.

“I hoped I could run this quick,” Parker said. “But I’m a big overthinker and I’m never happy.”

His stride pattern was mixed with two irregular 14 strides thrown in to challenge him. But he managed the weaker leg effort. Parker, from the Hills area in Sydney, is coached by former NSW open decathlon Clay Tompkins.

Christian Kotis was the bigger improver on the day, arriving at the championships with a PB of 55.8.

He really nailed his even stride pattern.

“I’ve never really perfected my race but today it was flawless with 15 strides all the way around,” Christian said. He was sporting a few track burns from a fall at the finish line.

He is positive about the next season where he will graduate to a higher hurdle height.

“I’ve raced over them (the higher hurdles) and coming from a sprint hurdle background I should be okay with the 91s (cm hurdles).”

Csenge Zsuzsanna Zsombor - amazing in the pole vault

Bankstown’s Csenge Zsuzsanna Zsombor, 13, showed no fear competing in the under-17 pole vault, by defeating her opposition by an extraordinary 40cm. The U14 Australian All Schools champion opened her competition at 3.25m, the last height her opposition cleared before leaving the event. Csenge when on the clear 3.40m, 3.55m and 3.65m – the last two heights at her first attempt. It raised her recent PB of 3.60m. Csenge will line-up in her own age, U15s, later in the program. Her brother, Nimrod Zsolt Zsombor, comfortably won the boys under-14 event with a 2.90m clearance.

Eliza Lawton doubles

Pymble Ladies College middle-distance star Eliza Lawton returned to her traditional strong events to claim a convincing double in Adelaide. Last December in Perth at the Australian All Schools, due to timetable challenges, Eliza opted for the 800/1500m combination and duly won. This week she has resumed her usual program of 1500/3000m, delivering two strong wins. The highlight was Monday’s 1500m winning time of 4:21.99.

“I was very happy with the 1500m - about a three seconds PB,” Eliza said. Her 3000m winning time was 9:38.83, 20 seconds ahead of talented Hills race walker/distance runner Sophie Polkinghorne. Both times were championship records.

NSW treble in the U15 girls 400m

In a terrific achievement, the same three NSW girls have 12 months on, again claimed the medals in the under-15 400m. Last year Orange’s Adelaide Pittis won the under-14 400m from Manly’s Naomi Krajancic and Westfield’s Ruby Kernaghan was in third. This year Naomi reversed the result from a year ago to clock 56.58 seconds for the win with Adelaide second (57.46) and Ruby third (57.91)

“It is amazing to win, I’m very happy. I’ve come a long way since I started in the sport,” Naomi said.

Evan Rowbotham to attempt a treble

At the NSW Junior Championships, Evan Rowbotham was favourite to win the under-15 1500/3000m double but surprised by taking the 800m title. However, the Australian Championships are a step-up. Already Evan has been incredible, winning the 1500m in a championship record time of 4:07.40, going three seconds under the previous record. In the 3000m, he took the title by seven seconds in an impressive 9:03.26. We are witnessing the emergence of a special talent.

Convincing wins for Sienna, Savannah, Jacob and Marnie

Across the track and field events, there were dozens of newly crowned Australian champions. In the under-18 5000m walk, Central Coast’s Sienna Pitcher won by nearly two minutes in 24:18.19, to lead a NSW trifecta with Ciara Cassilles second and Matilda Webb third. In the under-13 girls shot put, Savannah Auvaa took the title with a distance of 11.30m, ahead of her Victorian rival with 9.87m. In the sprints, Jacob Ashton Copp won the under-14 boys 200m by over a second in a time of 24.17 seconds, while in the girls under-13 200m Marnie Laurence convincingly won in a time of 25.85 seconds.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Parker Bohman and Christian Kotis in the 400m hurdles (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)