Australian All Schools: Day 3 – NSW win title as Daniel Okerenyang breaks Australian record

Published Mon 12 Dec 2022

11 December 2022

Australian All Schools: Day 3 – NSW win title as Daniel Okerenyang breaks Australian record

NSW closed a successful championship as the leading State winning the point score and medal tallies. There were records galore for Team NSW - highlighted by a second athlete, Daniel Okerenyang, setting a National record in the under-16 triple jump.

Daniel Okerenyang bounds into history

The leadup form of Daniel Okerenyang had indicated he was in record shape after he fell 1cm short of the National U16 triple jump record in Canberra with a leap of 14.54m, assisted by a slightly illegal wind reading of 2.2m/s. But in Adelaide today he continued that form with a tremendous series of jumps including 14.54m and 14.51m before his monster on his fourth and last attempt registered at 14.79m. It shattered the Australian record of 14.55m, held by Victorian Aiden Hinson and the NSW record of 14.15m set 24-years-ago by Fabrice Lapierre in 1998.

“I came here with the goal to get the Australian record after I had jumped 14.54m (in Canberra),” said Daniel.

Daniel than revealed that he had had very little preparation this season - just two weeks, as over winter he plays soccer and AFL.

Although living in the country town of Wagga, Daniel is fortunate to have access to a leading jumps coach at Temora, Greg Wiencke – a handy 15.50m triple jumper himself.

Delta and Jasynta dominate hurdle

Australian representative at the World U20 Championships in the 100m hurdles, 16-year-old Delta Amidzovski, now back to her own hurdle height of 76cm, is compiling another strong summer season. She clocked a PB 13.49 in September and lowered that to 13.45 in today’s final. She smashed the meet record (13.58) and also clipped 0.01 seconds off Michelle Jenneke’s NSW record of 13.46 set in 2010. Delta was pushed all the way to the line by Jasynta Lampret who clocked 13.52. Jasynta setup the likely dual with a big PB of 13.68 in her hurdles heat to lead the qualifiers for the final. She also dipped under the old championship record. Her particularly strong championships have included a gold in the 4x100m relay and a significant 100m PB of 11.98, winning silver. If entered in the 200m, she could have even taken that title.

Bell goes big in the javelin

After years of strong performances across the throwing events and in the heptathlon, Karina Bell seems to have a clear pathway now in the javelin throw after terrific 50 metre throw to win the U18 National title.

Arriving at the meet with a 20-month-old PB of 45.30m, Karina’s leadup form in training had indicated a big performance was imminent.

“I’ve been working up to it (50m) for a while in training so it is finally good to achieve it in competition,” said Karina.

But it was not a perfect start in Adelaide.

“My first throw was a foul. I was a little nervous and had to rethink. For the second throw I was considering changing my runup, but I thought I’ll just see how it goes and I relaxed, and it ended up being a great throw.” Karina hit 50.10m, a near five metre PB.

She closed with two more throws past her previous best.

“The third was another foul, I think I got too excited after the 50m. I had another 47 and 45, so all-in-all it was pretty good.”

Karina has been progressing well under the coaching of Olympian Cameron McEntyre.

“I was throwing well last year in training then had a back injury which set me back, but recently in training I’ve been building back up.”

Karina combines her athletics with high level involvement in a another sport – as she is a cricket faster bowler in the NSW U19 squad.

NSW - champion State

Over the last 10 years NSW have won the teams title defeating Queensland on eight occasions and Victoria twice. In recent years, NSW have relied on a strong performance from our larger numbers in para events to take the title. In 2022, a win was nearly a certainty with Queensland now split with the addition of a North Queensland team. NSW won both the points score and medal tallies in 2022.

Two PBs for Mitchell Hatfield in the high jump

It may not have been a record, but the U17 boys high jump was still an enthralling battle for those watching closely.

With seed bests of 1.96m and 1.95m it was expected to be a close dual between Sydney’s Mitchell Hatfield and QLD’s Harrison Adams. But both athletes and also another NSW athlete Ivan Prizmic, with a best of 1.90m provided a terrific competition with all athletes smashing their PBs. The medals had been expected to be decided by 1.96m, but four athletes were still alive. Mitchell and Ivan were clearing PBs on their first attempts, 1.98m and 2.00m, while Adams was still in the mix going over on his second attempts - but 2.02m would be his limit, settling for a 5cm PB of 2.00m. But Sydney duo Ivan and Mitchell were not yet done, and both cleared 2.02m, Mitchell critically at his first attempt, as 2.04m would be beyond he and Ivan. Mitchell closed the competition with a 4cm PB and Ivan and extortionary 12cm improvement.

No surprise Mitchell was pleased.

“I’m stocked. I started early at 1.84m. I knew it was going to be a lot of jumps,” he said.

“In my mind I wanted two metres today. There was seven jumps to get to two (metres), so it was a lot of work and we were tired by the end.

How did he manage clearing heights he had never previously attempted?

“The adrenaline kicked in at the PB heights,” he said.

Was he happy with the result?

“You can image how excited I was. It was some of the best jumps I’ve done especially the 2.02m. At 2.00 metres I just grazed it, that got me super pumped as it was the first time over two. At 2.02m there was nothing left of it! I pulverize it!”

The emotional and physical competition took its toll.

“I’m so tired now.”

Mitchell has been coached for nine years by tremendous Northern Beaches coach Leanne Pejkovic.
“When I started I wasn’t a big medal winner.” He has gone on to win the last three National titles in his age in March/April 2021 and 2022.

Sportsmanship: Nate Ward

A special mention to Newcastle distance runner Nate Ward. He won bronze in the U15 boys 1500m in a PB time, but rather than celebrating his performance, he was supporting a North Queensland competitor who was struggling after finishing last over the line.

Webb walks off with record

Matilda Webb improved more than 30 seconds to not only win the Australian U14 3000m walk title, but also break the championships record held by Olympian Jemima Montag. Matilda clocked 14:21.15 to remove five seconds from the record set in 2011. In second place was Parramatta’s Jessica Loring who clocked 14:39.43 – a 33 seconds PB.

Izobelle Louison-Roe added triple jump gold to her extraordinary high jump height

On Saturday, Izobelle Louison-Roe completely dominated her U16 high jump with a clearance of 1.80m, winning by 14cm. The mark stood-up as the best clearance at the championships across the age groups. On Sunday she added gold in the triple jump with a leap of 12.29m – a comfortable win by 63cm. She also won silver in the 200m hurdles clocking a PB 29.08 seconds.

Coffs Harbour double-double

Daniel Williams added gold in the U16 1500m in a powerful run clocking 3:56.92. It was his second title following his 800m win. He joined Coffs Harbour teammate Jade Kitching who won the U17 800m and 1500m double.

Perry Performance

It was a massive carnival for Nepean’s Xavier Perry who competed in the sprint treble and on two relay teams. He was second in the 400m in a PB time of 50.65. It was one place better and a faster time than his dad, International sprinter Steve Perry achieved 38 years ago in 1984 in the same event, when he was third in a time of 51.82 seconds. In the 200m Xavier was fifth in 22.76 (1 second faster than his dad’s fourth place in 1984). He was also 8th in the 100m, fifth on the U16 4x100m relay and won silver in the mixed U16 4x400m relay.

Other performances in brief:

After a tremendous second in the U18 1500m, Tamworth’s Adam Williams won an exciting 3000m race clocking 8:33.40.
Another Tamworth athlete Abbie Peet scored a treble in her Para U15 events. She won the 100m (15.90), 200m (32.95) and 800m (3:05.64), with the 800m the highest scoring with 87.80%.
Barker College’s Cooper Robb-Jackson matched Abbie’s performance in the boys U15 100m, 200m and 800m. His winning marks were 13.16 (100m), 26.41 (200) and 2:20.03 (800m).
There was a different treble achieved by Wollongong’s Telaya Blacksmith in the U17 girls Para events. She won the 100m (13.06), 200m (26.70) and long jump (4.67m). Her sprints were very high percentages of 91 and 93 respectively.

Albury’s Xylavene Beale, added gold in the U16 girls shot to her discus win with a near one metre PB distance of 16.09m. All of her fourth throws were well clear of the silver medallist.
Knox Grammar’s Lachlan Herbert won a close race in the U17 400m clocking 48.68 seconds.
One of the athletes of the meet for NSW was Trinity’s Jozef Cluff who won the U15 shot (16.75m) and discus 57.23m and added silver in the javelin 45.24m.
Commonwealth Games representative, Sarah Clifton-Bligh won the Para U20 800m with a time of 2:57.32 and 80.56%.
Piper Simpson rebounded from her 3000m result with a fantastic U15 1500m win in a PB 4:33.14.
Fleur Cooper clocked a 1500m PB of 4:29.20 to win the U16 title from teammate Sarah Baker with 4:31.85.
Trinity’s Ben Stevens dominated the U18 shot with an amazing two metre winning distance of 19.33m. All his five valid throws would have won the competition.
There was a rare result in the U20 para long jump with two NSW athletes sharing the gold. Zander Field and Corey Alliston, both T04 classified athletes, leapt the same distance of 5.17m to both achieve a percentage of 67.67%. (see below photo)

Many races enjoyed strong tailwinds, by Alexandra Richards was unlucky to receive a 2.4m/s head wind, but she still won the U18 100m hurdles in a good time of 13.96 seconds – a 1+ second winning time.
After two bronze medals in the U16 relay and 200m, on the final day Holly Rea confirmed her number one National ranking when she claimed the 100m crown in a time of 11.94 seconds.
Winning her second National U14 200m crown in 2022, Pymble Ladies College student Matilda Harrison won in a PB time of 25.40 seconds.
NSW won gold and silver in the two new relays at the championships. In the U18 4x400m mixed event, Benjamin Iveson, Ruby Worrell, Jemma Pollard and Ivan Balic clocked 3:31.13 for the win over Victoria by three seconds. A very strong NSW U16 mixed 4x400m relay team of Max McAneney, Ivy Boothroyd, Shari Hurdman, Xavier Perry clocked 3:38.33 to place second to a surprising South Australian quartet who won in 3:36.43.