NSW All Schools REVIEW DAY 4: Three of the best ever in the history of the Championships

27 September 2022

NSW All Schools REVIEW DAY 4: Three of the best ever in the history of the Championships

On the final day of the NSW All Schools Athletics Championships we were treated to a few of the best ever performances in the history of the championships first held in 1936. Ivy Boothroyd recorded the fastest 800m in the history of the championships, while Lizzy McMillen clocked the best ever 5000m walk time and Aiden Princena-White cleared the highest vault in the meet’s history.

Record half-mile by Ivy Boothroyd

Ivy Boothroyd was in good form indicated by her near 400m PB a couple of days prior, but in her specialty, the 800m, she was all class in the 15-year event. Ivy faced tough competition from 1500m winner Fleur Cooper, who had defeated her in the 800m at the recent CHS Championships. Ivy set out on a solid pace, but Fleur followed hot on her heels through the bell.

Ivy’s plan was:

“Setup the first lap, accelerate down the back straight (second lap) and give it all I’ve got in the last 150m,” said Ivy.

She executed the plan well, running away from Fleur on the second lap to win in 2:07.08, with Fleur Cooper second in 2:10.60.

“Coming into the race I felt really good and was confident for the run, but the last 150m stung a little bit,” said Ivy.

Ivy’s time shattered records galore. It broke the 15-year 800m meet record, but was also the fastest time achieved at the meet across all ages since the first championships in 1936.

Family kudos for Aiden Princena-White

The class act in the pole vault was Aiden Princena-White. He arrived at the meet with a PB of 4.65m which dated back 18 months. Aiden signalled he was approaching that form when he cleared 4.60m on his third attempt. But the clearance seemed to give him a boost and at the next height, 4.76m, he flew over on his first attempt to snatch the meet record and championships best ever vault of 4.75m, a record held by his older brother Ethan Princena-White.

Another title and PB for race walker extraordinary Lizzy McMillen

The purple a great race walking form by Lizzy McMillen continued at the NSW All Schools Championships. In recent months she has won the Oceania and Australian Winter Walk titles. She has shredded her PBs over 10km and 10,000m and today at the NSW All Schools she took four seconds from her 5000m walk PB with a winning time of 23:37.00. Additionally she took 75 seconds from the meet’s best ever time in the history of the championships.

Record breaking Issac Beacroft can hurdle, run and race walk

Isaac Beacroft won three medals and recorded three PBs at the 2022 NSW All Schools including two medals in two hours. On Monday evening he won bronze in the 15-years boys 3000m clocking 9:05.46. 18 hours later he was back on the track in the 2000m steeplechase where he took seven seconds from his best to clock 6:21.86 to win the silver. Two hours later he went one step higher on the podium, taking gold in the 3000m walk and removing over a minute from the record. He just sneaked under his PB with a time of 12:40.04. Isaac’s Dad, David, won NSW All Schools race walking titles in the 1990s.

Thrilling Hammer Throw competitions

Although there was just one record, the story of the hammer throw was some exciting competition. In the 12-years girls Hammer throw Hills Sports High’s Hanna Masic twice raised the meet record. In round two she added 32cm to the old mark with a throw of 33.31m, then destroyed that in round three with a distance of 37.31m.

In the 17-years girls, the result changed twice in the last round. Unitty Ta’Uo led early with 54.63m, then in round four Molly Goetz responded taking the lead with a distance of 54.91m. But Unitty had one more chance and she would not be denied, taking back the lead and claiming the gold with a throw of 55.33m.

The 14-years boys Hammer was just as close with Dominic-Xander Tatupu’s opening effort of 49.002m, holding out his brother Julio-Xavier’s two 48m throws.

National champion, Alex Goetz, compiled a strong series to repel the challenge by Cowra’s Ky Garratt. Alex reached a best of 60.93m in round, three – 6cm past his National championship winning distance last March. Ky nailed a PB of 57.17m in round three.

There were two other outstanding individual performances by Sam Perkins in the 17-years Hammer with a throw of 61.75m and Brooke Williams with 50.30m in the 15-years girls.

More records from Daniel Williams.

The revelation of the 2021 NSW All Schools was North Coast middle-distance talent Daniel Williams who broke the 14-years 800m and 1500m records. That form continued in 2022, as he nailed the 15-year 800m in 1:54.53, dipping under the old mark of 1:54.92. Daniel had earlier comfortably won the 15-years 1500m in 4:02.56.

Blair blitz on the 200m hurdles

After an unrivalled GPS campaign where he won three events and set championship records in all races, Billy Blair matched the 15 years 200m hurdles record at the NSW All Schools. Running 24.91, he matched the standard of 24.9 set by Paul Stickler 22 years ago. Billy had set the 14-years 200m hurdles record last year clocking 26.27.

More records, doubles and other amazing feats by our race walkers

In addition to records by Lizzy McMillen and Isaac Beacroft, 12-year-old Sophie Polkinghorne entered the record books in the 3000m walk taking nearly 30 seconds from the old standard. Sophie clocked 14:51.38 to break Milly Broughton’s record. 13-year winner Matilda Webb also raced well clocking 14:52.12 – just 8 seconds outside the record.

Similar to Isaac Beacroft, Dylan Allabush placed second in the 14-year steeplechase and a little over two hours later was back on track in the 14-year- 3000m walk, taking gold. Outstanding winner of the girls 15-year 3000m walk, Zoe Woods, earlier in the championships placed fifth in the 1500m.

In Brief

-There was another close dual between Izobelle Louison-Roe and Grace Krause. Earlier Izobelle had won the 15-years high jump and Grace the long jump. In the triple jump, just 3cm separated them with Izobelle taking the title with 12.01m from Grace’s 11.98m.

-From the gun, Sydney Boys High’s Max Russell was out after the meet record set 33-years ago by another Sydney Boys High student Aaron Hunt. Max clocked a two seconds PB time of 6:08.35 – the fastest at the championships for 13-years.

-From the gun in the 14-years 800m, Tom Partland sprinted away from the field, passing 200m in 27 seconds. Feeling the fatigue towards the end, Hay’s Nathaniel Clarke was taking ground off Tom, but ran out of track, as Tom hung on for victory 2:01.19 to 2:01.95.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Ivy Boothroyd (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)