NSW All Schools Day 4 Wrap: Record books hammered

1 October 2024

NSW All Schools Day 4 Wrap: Record books hammered

On day four of the NSW All School Athletics Championships we witnessed 10 meet records, with five on the track and five in the field.

Two records smashed in the hammer throws

NSW’s continues to see staggering progression by country athletes in the hammer throw, largely due to Ernie Shackleton’s move from Sydney to Cowra. He coached Bronwyn Eagles to a silver medal at the world championships two decades ago and continues to develop elite juniors in NSW’s Central West.

Cowra High’s Ky Garratt chased down one of the best records on the books, the boys 17-years hammer, a mark of 69.23m set in 2022. Ky opened with 67.08m, then on his second attempt nailed a PB 68.23m, before breaking the record on his third attempt with a brilliant throw of 69.60m.

Another athlete from the Shackleton squad, Young’s Cooper Dabin, won the 15-years hammer throw by 14 metres with a throw of 64.71m.

Under the coaching guidance of Bre Clement, Patrician Brothers' College Blacktown student, Kalisi Aualiitia raised the meet record in the 14-years hammer throw by six metres, throwing a winning distance of 59.63m.

Anagnostopoulos bounds out to number two all-time

Ashfield Boys High’s Lian Anagnostopoulos nailed a PB 15.39m to add 35cm to the 17-year triple jump meet record. The jump was the second longest in the history of the championships, first held in 1936. Anagnostopoulos, who was a surprise winner of the long jump on Sunday, claimed the horizontal jumps double. He also dragged second place getter Luke Vrataric over the old standard of 15:05m, as he leapt 15.14m.

Two vaulters clear records

In the pole vault, 19-years champion Naomi Gibson and 14-years champion Csenge Zsombor both cleared 3.50m, the second best vaults in the history of the championships. Gibson added 10m to the old record set 15-years ago, while Zsombor was just 10cm below her PB set earlier in the year when she won the National under-17 title. Her vault today added a staggering 50m to the old record.

Beacroft’s record count at the All Schools: one new, one lost

Isaac Beacroft was back in record breaking form just weeks after the World U20 Championships. He took over a minute off the 17-years 5000m walk record, clocking 21:01.21. But he admitted it was tougher than he expected it would be.

“Since world juniors, I’ve had one or two running sessions, but, yeah, apart from that I've done nothing,” said Beacroft.

“I didn't go in expecting much today. Early on I thought I was feeling pretty good and then it hit me at about two kms and I realised that I wasn't going very well.”

He did allow himself a moment to reflect on not just the recent World U20 Championships, but also the World Race Walking Team Championship gold medal performance and the many records he has broken in 2024.

“Yeah, it's been obviously my biggest year to date. I'm only 17, so another two years, I can give compete at those competitions again. I think I was very lucky enough to get the perfect result in Turkey – winning the World title. Then I had that experience going into Peru which really helped me to another pretty good result - fourth place in a national record.

“That's a great platform for motivation and to set my eyes on what's to come in the future. I think it's a really a good thing to have that under my belt, to have that experience.”

Just prior to Beacroft competing today, he watched his own 13-years record broken by Hunter Sports High’s Callum Martin, who clocked 13:30.83, to slice 30 seconds off Beacroft’s old mark.

Steeplechase - three records in an hour

The steeplechase records were pounded with three broken in under an hour on day four.

Coached by Brad Woods, Trinity Grammar’s Patrick McMahon, ran away with the 14-years 2000m steeplechase title, winning by 15 seconds in a time of 6:15.43. He broke the old meet record held by another Trinity Grammar athlete - Luca Gillard.

Tamworth’s Jessie Fotheringham took nearly a minute off the 19-years girls 3000m steeplechase record to clock an outstanding time of 10:21.29.

In the 15-years event, two-time National steeplechase champion Cameron Bloem ran a great race also breaking the old record, clocking 5:58.21. Sub-six minute times across any of the ages have been rare at the championships – just two previously in history.

For the first few laps of the race, Bloem ran side-by-side with Trent Ally as they really pushed the pace.

“We haven't raced each other for a long time, so I was thinking maybe, he's been putting the hard yards in at training, but I knew I have been too,” Bloem said. Eventually Bloem broke away for a comfortable win.

However, there was another drama for Bloem we were unaware of.

“My shoelace became untied after the first steeple, so that made it a bit of a challenge, but I was able to just push through it.”

How can laces become loose?

“I have no idea. I double tied them and then I could feel it as soon as it happened. I was just like, bloody hell, it's all good.”

It has been a very impressive could of years for Bloem, who trains under coach Graham Garnett. What does he consider has made the difference for him?

“Honestly? Just diet and sleep, both of them. It really contributes, I think about diet a lot because there's a lot of processed stuff, but I try to eat pretty well and, yeah, recovery is just as important as training, so got to optimize that too.”

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Ky Garratt set a meet record in the 17-year hammer throw (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)