NSW All Schools - Day 2 Review: Buchanan is back, title four for Canning as Mcaneney and Hasler emerge

24 September 2023

NSW All Schools - Day 2 Review: Buchanan is back, title four for Canning as Mcaneney and Hasler emerge

The 2023 NSW All Schools Athletics Championship have not produced a plethora of records, but we have witnessed some great racing and emergence of some very new stars.

MAX MCANENEY

The outstanding 400m performance of the day was recorded by Dubbo’s Max Mcaneney in the 16-years, smashing his PB and dipping under 49 seconds for the first time, as he clocked 48.32. It moved him to 14 th on the NSW All Schools all-time list, a good achievement for a 16-year old.

Mcaneney is just emerging following a two-year break.

“I had run in school competitions in primary, but then stopped during COVID. I didn’t train during that time and it was not a priority. But two years ago I decided to give it a go again,” said Mcaneney.

He really started to progress last summer, winning the NSW under-17 title in February.

“My athletics was going okay so I stayed with it.”

He arrived at the championships with a PB of 49.02.

“Considering how I felt in the heat, I thought I was in that shape, but when I saw a low 48 – that surprised me.”

TAYISSA BUCHANAN

After a lean couple of years, Wollongong half-miler Tayissa Buchanan is back on track. In December 2019, she won the Australian All Schools 800m title, but over the next couple of years her performances largely plateaued. There was COVID and injuries – a stress reaction and torn hamstring, but last summer she started to really progress and return to where her earlier potential had indicated she could reach. In March this year she clocked a significant PB of 2:07.71 in the under-20 Nationals and two weeks later placed third in the under-18 National title which doubled as trials for the Commonwealth Youth Games.

In her first major race of the season, she is in top form winning the NSW All Schools title today in a solid 2:09.96, after being pushed all the way by archrival, Ella Penman.

“I had a good off season, and it has paid off,” she said after her win today. “This is my world junior year which is my goal this season.”

Through the challengers over the last few years, did she consider leaving the sport?

“I was not going to walk away. I love the sport. I had such great people and teammates around me. My view was if you enjoy it, keep training and fighting.”

MALACHI CANNING

Few have travelled as far as Goonellabah student, Malachi Canning – a nearly eight-hour journey, but he was rewarded with his fourth consecutive win in the para discus. The T20 athlete, threw 29.16m to take the 17-19 years para discus title which he first won in 2020. He also won his third consecutive shot put title with a put of 9.18m. Canning also won the long jump (his third consecutive title) and javelin with a very impressive mark of 35.67m. To cover his diverse events, which include track, Canning is supported by a team of coaches Don McNamara, Gemma Codrington and one of the finest technical coaches in NSW country - Glen Thacker.

MEN’S 100 METRES

Three sprinters have particularly shone in the 100m events where nice tail winds have aided the athletes. Picton’s Cody Hasler has continued his rise, after a strong 2022/23 summer. At his first major race this summer he clocked a PB 10.69 at the CHS athletics, then today he won the 17-years 100m title in a windy (2.1m/s !!) time of 10.58 – a definite breakthrough. The year 11 student has the opportunity to train with an elite squad at Camden, under coach Rob Marks and alongside Commonwealth Games representative Josh Azzopardi. “It has been cool to train with Josh and in Rob’s squad,” he said. With a legal wind of 2.0m/s, only three athletes have run quicker at the championships – Matt Shirvington, Scott Richardson and Sebastian Sultana last year.

Winner of the 19-years 100m, Zac Urbach, who clocked a PB 10.84, was at a complete loss to understand why he has been running so well.

“I honestly have no idea (why I’m running well),” said Urbach. “I don’t want to be vague or anything - maybe it is a little less training. I’ve been studying for my HSC so haven’t been doing a massive amount of training. Maybe I’m more relaxed.”

The Eastern Suburbs athlete is aiming to study Para medicine next year.

Penrith’s John McDonald, winner of the 16-years 100m in a PB 10.81, was clear about why he is progressing. “Just continuous training through the off season and the opportunity to train with a really good coach Steve Perry.”

SOME OTHER HIGHLIGHTS ON DAY TWO

Espie Coco won her third consecutive Para 100m, shot put and discus titles at the championships. The T33 wheelchair athlete clocked 25.55 seconds to claim the 15-16 years events.

Day two closed with a series of excellent runs in the steeplechase event. Miles Carson (Scots) clocked a terrific 6:11:47 to take the 17-years 2000m Steeplechase title. In the girls 17-years steeple, National silver medallist, Amelia Thornthwaite clocked 7:02.41, four seconds faster than her PB set at the Nationals and the second fastest time at the NSW All Schools in the last nine years. While in the women’s 3000m steeplechase Allegra McGivern’s time of 11:18.29 was nearly a minute quicker than any previous performance at the meet.

Commonwealth Youth Games teammates, George Wells and Chelsy Wayne, had little trouble winning their discus titles. Wells, who won gold in Trinadad and Tobago, hit 55.36m, while Wayne threw 47.82m.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Images: Tayissa Buchanan (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)