NSW 10,000m walk championships: Mison on a Mission

27 Nov 2022

NSW 10,000m walk championships: Mison on a Mission

Rising star Hannah Mison and world championship representative Carl Gibbons were crowned NSW 10,000m track walk champions in Sydney last evening.

In still and mild conditions at Homebush, Hannah Mison (Mingara) was locked in a battle for the NSW women’s 10,000m walk title with leading Australian junior Lizzy McMillen. Hannah led early building up a 30m lead over Lizzy. But mid race, around lap 11, Lizzy caught Hannah and took the lead. But Hannah was determined she was not done yet.

“In my head I thought don’t give the race away yet,” said Hannah.

“I had a mental switch – don’t end the race half-way through. I threw the time goal out the window and just started racing strategically.”

Hannah was back in the race, passing Lizzy a couple of laps later and pushing on for a comfortable win in a track PB time of 48:58.74.

Formerly from Wagga, Hannah has relocated to Newcastle to train with Frank Overton, whom she has been coached by since she was 16. She has also just completed her first year of a Psychology degree at Newcastle University.

Hannah, who won the NSW 5000m walk title earlier in the year, has compiled an impressive series of performances in 2022, setting numerous PBs across the four distances she contests and claimed a number of State titles.

“This year has been pretty good and hopefully I can recreate this year again and maybe even better and have the same gains I had this year again next year,” she said.

In second place was Wests Track athlete Bridget Bell with 53:21.12, ahead of 14-year-old Sienna Pitcher (Mingara) who recorded 53:44.72. Sienna also won the junior title.

In the men’s 10,000m walk, world championship representative, Carl Gibbons (Westlakes) enjoyed a good tussle with training partner Dylan Richardson (Mingara) until the second half of the race, where he strode away for a win in 42:56.83, ahead of Dylan’s 43:43.68. Teenager Jack McGinniskin (Mingara) placed third in 45:54.36 in what he regarded was his best performances for three years.

“I wasn’t looking for any PBs tonight as I have the National 35km next week in Melbourne,” said Carl Gibbons

He is still returning to form after battling a tibialis anterior injury at the world championships.

“I’m probably not at peak fitness for next weekend as I’m slowly coming back and still trying to get that right,” he said.

But Carl drew tons of positives after competing at the World Championships in Eugene and World Race Walking Teams Championship in Oman in March.

“It gave me hugh motivation, experiencing the championships and the team environment.”

The under-20 championships was won by a new rising star, 15-year-old Myles Ashby (Gosford) who clocked 51:41.95.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Hannah Mison (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)