NSW All Schools Athletics Championships: Perkins set for title six

Published Sat 09 Sep 2023

9 September 2023

NSW All Schools Athletics Championships: Perkins set for title six

We are just two weeks from the start of the 2023 NSW All Schools Athletics Championships and one athlete, Samuel Perkins, heads to the event in pursuit of a special achievement - a sixth consecutive title.

The NSW All Schools Athletics Championships is one of the rare competitions that continued throughout the COVID years and it has enabled some athletes to establish some impressive records, including hammer thrower Samuel Perkins who has won five consecutive titles and travels to Homebush attempting to record a rare sixth consecutive win in the same event.

Over the 86 years of the championships a number of athletes have won six consecutive titles, but Perkins is the sole athlete on track to achieve this unique feat in 2023.

A number of athletes are working on a similar achievement in the future, like Delta Amidzovski, on target for her fifth consecutive hurdles/long jump double and hurdler Alexandra Richards looking for her fifth consecutive win, along with race walker Isaac Beacroft. Trinity shot putter Ben Stevens looks set to take his fifth consecutive title, but it could have been number six, but for a small 27cm lost in 2018 when her was in the 13-years. Some looking for title number four in the same event include Para athletes Telaya Blacksmith in the 100m and 200m and Malachi Canning in the shot put and discus.

Ahead of the pending achievement, Samuel Perkins spoke about his athletics career to date.

“I started in athletics when I was in year 6,” said Perkins. He was at a family function when his aunty, Karyne Di Marco (nee Perkins), an Olympian and 4-time Commonwealth Games representative, and her coaching partner Bre Clements, encouraged him to take up hammer throwing. Until then he had been playing rugby league. The next year, Perkins won his inaugural NSW All Schools State title with a meet record throw of 46.91m.

“It was my first State title,” he recalled. “I liked winning and have over the years have enjoyed training with the squad.”

His third and fourth titles, in 2020 and 2021, were challenging times during COVID.

“I was not training as much, but enjoyed seeing the squad during zoom meetings where we would all exercise.”

Although sitting his HSC in 2023, Perkins is maintaining his full training program of throwing, gym and agility work. He looks in top form ahead of the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships, throwing a personal best last month, a mark which will see him smash the meet record.

EVENT PROFILE – NSW All Schools Athletics Championships

When? Week 1 - Senior Championships 16-19 years, 23 to 25 September 2023

Week 1 – Primary School Challenge, 23 to 25 September 2023

Week 2 – Junior Championships 12-15 years, 6 to 8 October 2023

Where? Sydney Olympic Park Athletics Centre

Entries close? Week 1 – Monday PM 11 September 2023

Week 2 – Friday 22nd September 2023

More information: including tickets, timetable, entries, age groups and rules

https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events-page/2023-nsw-all-school-championships/

Live results: https://results.nswathletics.org.au/

Daily articles https://www.nswathletics.org.au/home/

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW