Australian Junior Championships preview: George Wells and Delta Amidzovski chasing history

9 April 2023

Australian Junior Championships preview: George Wells and Delta Amidzovski chasing history

The four-day Chemist Warehouse Australian Junior Nationals commence this Thursday in Brisbane and for two NSW athletes they have a rare opportunity to create history as undefeated athletes in their preferred events since they first competed at the championships as under-14 athletes five years ago.

Wollongong hurdler/jumper Delta Amidzovski and Central Coast thrower George Wells have contested every Australian Juniors Nationals since 2019, when they were in the under-14s. Over the ensuring four years, except the 2020 cancelled event due to COVID-19, Amidzovski has won every 80/90/100 metre hurdles and long jump title, while Wells the discus titles. They are the only two Australian athletes who have a chance in Brisbane to achieve this rare feat of four consecutive wins since 2019.

Delta’s hurdles and long jump journey

In 2019 in the under-14 80m hurdles, Delta won comfortably in a time of 12.09 seconds. Second was WA’s Olivia Dodds, who this year will start favourite in the 100m in Brisbane. Fourth in 2019 was Sutherland’s Jasynta Lampret who will provide Delta with significant competition, pushing her in a couple of races this summer. Also in 2019 Delta won the long jump in a meet record 5.64m. Delta also won the high jump (meet record) and ran on the gold medal winning 4x100m relay.

After the 2020 National were cancelled due to COVID-19, Delta was terrific in 2021, again winning the same treble 90m hurdles (12.50), long jump (5.87m) and high jump (1.74m). The same athletes were again around her Olivia Dodds (hurdles), Jasynta Lampret (6th hurdles) and Zoe Chester (long jump) who will again be competition in 2023.

In 2022, Delta won the 100m hurdles (13.63) and long jump (5.98m) double. Olivia Dodds was second in the hurdles and Jasynta Lampret fifth. Also Zoe Chester was second in the long jump.

This week in Brisbane, Delta starts favourite in the 100m hurdles and long jump and while Dodds will just compete in the sprints. Jasynta Lampret, will compete in the hurdles and Zoe Chester in the long jump, and will be amongst Delta’s main competition.

George Wells’ discus journey

As an under-14 in 2019, George Wells won the shot and discus. He putt 17.15m in the shot (3kg), to defeat PJ Carlin with 16.47m, while in the discus he reached 48.51m (1kg) to comfortably defeat QLD’s Tyler Brimblecombe with 45.67m. Victoria’s Logan Sandland was in both events and will again compete against George in 2023.

In early 2020 Wells was in-form and led the National list, but sadly mid-March the Nationals were cancelled as COVID took over the world.

At the 2021 Nationals George, was in incredible shape, winning the under-16 discus (1kg) by over sevens metres 64.35m to QLD’s Matt Taylor’s 56.64m. In the shot (4kg) George was defeated by emerging NSW talent Amosia Soatini 19.56m to 18.78m. In 10th place in the discus was the Victorian Mackenzie Leith who in 2023 will one of George’s main opposition for the title. Last year (2022), George held off the loaming threat of Mackenzie Leith in the under-17 discus (1.5kg) 51.72m to 49.54m as they were five metres ahead of the field. In the shot (5kg), Soatini again took the title ahead of George 17.84m to 15.55m.

This week, George arrives with the longest under-18 discus throw of 56.85m, but Victorian Mackenzie Leith (55.00m) and QLD’s Matthew Taylor (54.21m) are serious threats. George’s best prospect is the under-18 shot (5kg) where he has nearly a two metre gap on the field, with VIC’s Joshua Sanders and QLD’s Lee Martin the main competition.

EVENT PROFILE:

Name: Chemist Warehouse Australian Junior Track and Field Championships

Dates: April 13-16

Where: Brisbane

Who: Australia’s leading under-13 to under-18 athletes

Timetable, entries: https://www.athletics.com.au/events/160526/

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Delta Amidzovski 2020 Nationals (Courtesy of David Tarbotton)