Australian All Schools Day 2: Tammin Lampret and Oliver Face nudge National hurdles records

Published Sun 10 Dec 2023

9 December 2023

Australian All Schools Day 2: Tammin Lampret and Oliver Face nudge National hurdles records

Lighter tails winds on day two of the Australian All Schools Championships in Perth today enabled the athletes to chase records. In the under-16 events, Sydney hurdlers Tammin Lampret and Oliver Facer, ran within a whisker of their National records, while in the distance events, two NSW distance women, Eliza Lawton and Ivy Boothroyd, shone with two meet records.

Redemption for Oliver Facer

After a challenging year, today’s performance was not about records for Facer, it was just getting through the race clean. Last April in the National under-16 100m hurdles, after breaking the NSW record in the heat, Facer fell in the final of the hurdles. Then yesterday, in his first National level race since Brisbane, he fell in the 200m hurdles while in a position to win.

But today, in a relatively clean race, Facer held his nerve as he took the National title in a NSW record time of 12.77, outside the National mark of 12.63. Facer was emotional as he was embraced by his competitors who have been on the journey with him. He admitted it has been a tough year, particularly post the fall in Brisbane.

“The Nationals in Brisbane, where I fell in the 100m hurdles, broke me. I was not sure how I would compete here, but I guess I just persevered and dug deep. I guess everything happens for a reason.”

Tammin Lampret threatens National record

Sutherland Shire sprinter/hurdler Tammin Lampret found herself chasing two National records held by another Shire athlete, set two decades ago.

With a PB this year of 12.61 Lampret started the overwhelming favourite in the under-16 90m hurdles and she delivered not just a comfortable 0.8 seconds win, but she smashed her personal best clocking 12.37 seconds. Her wind-legal time was not far from the wind assisted championship record of 12.24 set by Caringbah’s Carly Rodgers in 2007. Lampret also threatened local WA athlete, Sophie White’s National record of 12.31.

For Lampret, and Facer, they have one more race in Sydney later this month before they graduate from this age group.

Eliza Lawton into the record books

What a great year it has been for Eliza Lawton, 1500/3000m National titles in April, a National Cross Country win mid-year and now another National title, the under-14 1500m.

From the gun she led the field on a very honest pace. Such was the speed she gradually moved away from the field and on the last lap had lengthened her lead to 15 metres, coming home in a PB 4:25.30 nearly five seconds ahead of her NSW teammate and friend Ruth Warszawska who also clocked a PB 4:30.19. Lawton also just dipped under the 9-year-old National record of 4:30.78 set by Keely Small.

Boothroyd is back with World junior qualifier and a meet record

Returning the event where last year she broke the NSW record, Ivy Boothroyd always arrives with a race strategy.

“The plan was to reach the bell in 62.5 and then surge and bring it home strong. I felt I executed it well, but things happen in the race,” said Boothroyd.

She clocked 2:06.04 to smash the meet record by nearly two seconds and achieve a World U20 Championships qualifier.

“I’m really happy with it considering what I’ve gone through. It hasn’t been a good leadup to these Nationals,” she said.

After the NSW All Schools in September her injury, which hampered her late season racing program in 2022/23, resurfaced and she was put back in a boot as a precaution, then she was sick for two weeks.