NSW Championships – best ever?

8 March 2021

NSW Championships – best ever?

The 2021 NSW Track and Field championships could rightly be claimed to have been the best ever in the 124-year history of the event. The last event was possibly the highlight, with teenager Bendere Oboya (UTN) clocking 51.61 in the 400m, a time only one Aussie has bettered in Australia in the last 12 years. Oboya just missed the Olympic qualifying standard, which she achieved at the Doha World Championships.

On Saturday night, in good conditions Rohan Browning (SYU) comfortably took the 100m title in his fifth fastest ever time of 10.20. Courtesy of the highly professional Athletics NSW photo finish team, they setup five cameras to capture all the results and their efforts were rewarded with Rohan clocking an Australian 100 yards best of 9.41 on route to his 100m win. It lowered Jack Hale’s recent 9.43 mark.

In their last two races, Nick Andrews (CHE) led Nick Hough (SYU) until the last hurdle, but Andrews crashed the barrier on each occasion placing second. The NSW championship was the same with Andrew leading and crashing late barriers, but fortunately he was strong enough to sprint to the line ahead of Hough, be the barest of margins as they clocked stunning wind assisted times of 13.45 (2.6m/s) to 13.46. Andrews’ time has only ever been bettered, in all conditions, by Kyle vander-Kuyp and Nick Hough. After the line Andrews let out a ‘yes I beat Nick’ call – friendly banter as they were both Kings’ School athletes.

On Sunday, teenager Monique Quirk (CBT), completed the sprint double with very quick 23.20 in the 200m. It was a 0.28 seconds PB and the number 27 Australian all-time. On Saturday night Quirk won the 100m also in a PB of 11.50. She was clocked at 100 yards, recording the equal fifth fastest ever time of 10.58 seconds.

The women’s javelin saw training partners Mackenzie Little (SYU) and Lianna Davidson (ASW) go 1-2 in a quality competition. Mackenzie threw 59.96m, had five throws over 56m and fouled a 62m effort. Lianna smashed her PB nailing 54.64m on her second throw. It was a near two metre improvement and elevated her to number six Australian junior all-time. It was the longest throw by an Australian junior (Mackenzie !) since 2014.

Alexander Kolesnikoff continued to pepper the 19 metre standard, winning the shot put title with a distance of 19.35m - his fourth consecutive 19 metre competition. He was just short of his recent NSW record of 19.51m.

In the Ambulant sprints Mali Lovell (UTN) made significant progress towards Paralympic qualification. She ran PBs of 15.56 (100m) and 32.02 (200m). She was not far from the T36 200m Paralympic B standard of 31.60.

In any other year Abbie Taddeo’s (ILL) 100m hurdles win in 13.12 would have been rated one of the leading performances at the meet. Her times was her second fastest and a time only 12 other Aussies have ever run.

In the high jump events, Nicola McDermott (SYU) and Brandon Starc (PAR) claimed the state titles with clearances of 1.91m and 2.19m respectively. There were a range of good jumps by the juniors Darcey Holmes (UTN) 2.10m, Erin Shaw (UTN) 1.79m and Rosie Tozer (WOL) 1.75m.

Competing in the Seated Shot, Rosemary Little (HIL) and Victorian visitor Maria Strong were in good form with Tokyo B qualifiers. Rosemary put 5.82m and was incredibly consistent with all six attempts between 5.42m and 5.82m. Her best put, easily exceeded the F32 category B standard of 5.25m and approached her PB of 6.03m and A standard of 6.11m. Maria, in the F33 para category, put 6.21m bettering the B standard of 5.89m.

In the men’s open 1500m heats, Tasmania Deon Kenzie clocked a PB and Australian record of 3:59.79. The T38 athlete just missed the world record (3:57.00) but becomes the first Australian athlete with cerebral palsy to dip under four minutes.

In the F57 seated throws, Julie Charlton (CHE) broke her own Australian records with distances of 16.54m in the discus and 5.97m in the shot.

Country athletes won the men’s and women’s Ambulant 1500m. Orange’s Aaron Houston (T20) clocked 4:38.50 and Dubbo’s Alexandra Eves (T36) 7:07.67 in the women’s event.

Canberra junior Tom Palfrey (BAN) stormed to victory in the men’s 1500m in his second World U20 Champ qualifier 3:47.21, while in the women’s 1500m there were PB’s galore led by inform Izzy Thornton-Bott (UTN) winning in 4:17.33 (3.28 sec PB) from Holly Campbell (SYU) 4:18.26 and 17-year-old Nicola Hogg (UTN) 4:18.26. For Hogg it was a 4.75 seconds PB and a World U20 Championships qualifier. In the men’s 400m semi-finals Josh Atkinson (HIL), who has been on the cusp of World U20 Champs qualification, clocked his first over 400m running 47.24. In the women’s semi, Queensland teenager Ellie Beer clocked a World U20 standard and seasons best time of 52.92.

In the men’s 5000m walk Dylan Richardson (MIN) won by nearly two minutes in a time of 21:46.72, ahead of training partner and teenager Jack McGinniskin (MIN) 23:33.45.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Bender Oboya in the 400m (courtesy of David Tarbotton)