Australian Championships Day 4: Championship racing toward Columbia

29 March 2022

Australian Championships Day 4: Championship racing toward Columbia

Day four of the Chemist Warehouse Australian Track and Field Championships was an incredible day for the home state of NSW. Not only did three athletes secure World U20 Championships selection, and our relay teams win three from four races, but a highlight was some dramatic championship racing in an effort to secure selection in the National Junior team.

World junior ticket booked for Hayley Kitching, Charlie Jeffreson and Bella Guthrie

Red hot favourites in their events, three NSW athletes got the job done, winning their events and securing selection in the Australian team for the U20 World Championships.

Hayley Kitching won the under-20 800m by nearly two seconds in a fabulous time of 2:04.80, ahead of a great run by Montana Monk who clocked 2:06.55.

“I was a little nervous leading the race today, but knew I had to secure the win,” said Hayley.

She has been in tremendous recent form. “I have reduced my PB by four seconds in four months.’

Bella Guthrie clocked her fifth consecutive 58 seconds 400m hurdles in finals, clocking 58.78 to claim the under-20 title in wet conditions. She is aiming for her first sub-58 when she lines up in the open national championships.

The third athlete to book their ticket to Cali was men’s half-miler, Charlie Jeffreson. His 800m win in 1:50.04, was just ahead of NSW’s Luke Boyes with 1:50.12. He edged Canberra’s Hayden Todd who ran 1:50.14.

Championship racing at its very best Part 1: Patrick Cantlon

Arriving at the championships, Patrick Cantlon was one of eight athletes to have achieved the qualifying standard for the World U20 Championships in the 3000m. His PB was some 17 second slower than the best, but reputations and times didn’t phase Patrick, this was championships racing. At the bell there was a wall of four Victorians, all with World qualifiers, lining up to get the best position. Sitting behind them in the six-person pack were first and second places from the men’s 1500m - Queenslander Peyton Craig and NSW’s Patrick Cantlon.

After the race, Patrick remarked how good he was feeling at the bell, but was still sticking to the race plan.

“My coach said don’t go too early.”

Coming into the straight with 100m to go, the fastest Victorian Thomas Diamond led Peyton Craig and Patrick Cantlon. In a thrilling sprint to the finish, Peyton, then Patrick passed Thomas. As they broke the meet record, ran World qualifiers and stopped the clock at times of 8:12.63 and 8:12.84 respectively. For Patrick it was a two seconds PB.

With the win Peyton secured his second automatic selection, while Patrick will need to wait for the selectors to decide on the 1500m and 3000m discretionary places, but surely he is safe. The team is announced in about two weeks.

Championship racing at its very best Part 2: Luke Boyes

For the final of the men’s 800m, five athletes owned World U20 800m qualifiers, with four on the start line. At the bell NSW’s 1:47 athlete Charlie Jeffreson was staying out of danger leading the race. In second was Canberra’s Hayden Todd, alongside Kane Shields. Boxed in behind them was NSW champion Luke Boyes. A gap started to open for Luke at about 350m, then WA’s Ethan Wyatt-Smith burst through the pack. By the time they reached the straight with 100m to go, just four athletes were in contention, Charlie Jeffreson, Hayden Todd, Kane Shields and Luke Boyes. Kane was dropped quickly as Charlie, Hayden and Luke sprinted three-wide toward the line in a battle for the two National junior team places. Just 0.1 seconds would separate the three with Charlie the winner in 1:50.04, ahead of NSW’s Luke Boyes with 1:50.12, with Canberra’s Hayden Todd agonisingly 0.2 seconds behind with 1:50.14.

Luke should earn the discretionary place in the team, joining automatic qualifier Charlie Jeffreson.

More NSW athletes wait for discretionary selections.

In addition to Luke Boyes (800m), Patrick Canton (1500m and 3000m), another two NSW athletes, have their selection in the Australian team for the World U20 Championships resting with the selectors.

Hurdler, Dom Panozzo placed second in the under-20 400m hurdles running exactly the qualifying time of 53.20, He joins three athletes now with the qualifying, battling for two places. Dom’s performance in the trial puts him in the box seat.

Nicola Hogg ran herself to exhaustion to place second and just clocked the 3000m standard with a time of 9:29.01. The day prior she had placed second in the 1500m. She also should be safe to be selected in both events.

Ivy Boothroyd sets records galore

Ivy Boothroyd added the under-16 800m to her 400m title from the day prior. In the 400m she broke the 18 year-old meet record clocking 55.08. In the 800m she went one better, breaking the meet and NSW records clocking a time of 2:05.66. The later record was held by Sophie Scamps at 2:06.46. Ivy’s time was also under the World U20 Championships standard, but she is too young to be selected. She defeated 14-year-old Fleur Cooper who clocked 2:07.66, a one second PB and also just outside the old meet record.

NSW dominate long relays

NSW won three of the four relays on the last major day of competition for the U20s and U16s. The women’s 4x400m team were never headed winning by seven seconds in a meet record of 3:41.15. It was also the fastest ever under-20 State or club team in Australian history. The team included Bella & Jasmin Guthrie, Paige Campbell and Emma O’Reilly.

The men’s 4x400m was just as impressive winning by nearly two seconds in 3:13.50, with the team comprising Dominic Panozzo, Luke Boyes, Timothy Sanki and Josh Atkinson. The time was just outside the listed NSW record of 3:13.37 and another NSW junior team that 50 years ago ran 3:12.54.

The under-16 girls 4x200m relay won by 1.49 seconds in the swift time of 1:39.05. The line-up comprised Holly Rea, Samara Bond, Shari Hurdman and Grace Krause. The under-16 boys placed a close second to South Australia in a time of 1:30.63 with the line-up comprising Billy Blair, John McDonald, Callum Grantham and Taurus Traino,

In Brief

• In the under-15 200m Max Marshall claimed the national crown in a time of 22.96, going one better than his silver in the 100m.
• Billy Blair won the under-16 200m hurdles (25.69 seconds), sealing the hurdles double. He also won medals in the 100m and relays.
• Despite being well back at the bell, Daniel Williams sprinted home in the under-16 800m, to secure the middle-distance double.
• Incredible NSW depth in the under-20 triple jump, filling places second to sixth with just 23cm separating them. Jay Louison-Roe was NSW’s best leaping 14.64m for the silver, ahead of Uchenna Egbu’s bronze medal winning effort of 14.62m.
• National under-16 girls triple jump champion Izobelle Louison-Roe added gold in the high jump with a clearance of 1.75m, to defeat teammate Olivia Moresi with 1.68m.
• With a very consistent series, where just 75cm separated her three valid throws, Fiorella Collins won the under-14 discus with a throw of 36.06m.
• Matilda Harrison improved on her bronze in the under-14 100m to take gold in the 200m clocking 25.64 seconds.
• Tammin Lampret clinched the hurdles double taking the under-15 200m hurdles in 29.11 seconds.
• NSW swept the podium in the under-20 hammer throw with Renee Hardy taking the win with a throw of 50.38m, ahead of Rebecca Moore (46.65m) and Molly Goetz (45.95m).

• Unlike his comfortable triple jump win, Trinity student Mason McGroder won a very close under-15 boys long jump with a leap of 6.23m, just 3cm ahead of silver and 4cm ahead of bronze.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Luke Boyes and Charlie Jeffreson in a dramatic 800m finish (courtesy of David Tarbotton)