NSW Champs Day 1 and 2 Review: Solomon clocks two sub-45.5 times

20 February 2022

NSW Champs Day 1 and 2 Review: Solomon clocks two sub-45.5 times

Tokyo Olympic finalist Steve Solomon has signalled he is in the form of his life on days one and two of the 125th NSW Championships being held at Homebush this weekend.

Opening his 2021/22 summer season at the NSW Championships, Steve Solomon (RBH) clocked a stunning 400m heat time of 45.28 on Friday evening, followed 24 hours later by 45.39 in the final. The marks were the fastest by an Aussie in Australia for 12 years and confirmed he is in top form if he is selected for next month’s World indoor Championships. Although his times on the weekend were not qualifiers, his Tokyo heat time of 44.94 was.

He confirmed there is a lot more progress possible.

“I’m in a real heavy training block right now, so the body is a little tired, but I’m really happy with how I came out these last two nights and executed the race I was hoping too and just building a lot of confidence from that. The rest of the season is looking very exciting,” said Steve.

During the last six months Steve has just confirmed the form he felt he was in during the 2020 and 2021 domestic season’s but was unable to shine with competitions cancelled by COVID and a few injury niggles.

He reflected on his 44.94 in Tokyo which broke his 9-year-old PB.

“It was very emotional. I have had a long time between PBs. It is easiest to put it in context, the last time I ran a PB before Tokyo was when the iphone 4 was released and there would be some people here tonight filming on their iphone 13s.”

Interestingly Steve’s 45.28 heat time was not a meet record, that is held by national record holder Darren Clark who clocked 45.22 in 1987.

100m winners follow their coaches

The men’s and women’s 100m titles were exciting contests with the State titles very open, but eventual winners joined their coaches as NSW champions.

Bolstered by interstate athletes Canberra-based Kiwi Eddie Nketia was a the men’s favourite, going on to take the title in 10.28. The State title looked within the grasp of UTS Norths’ former Sierra Leone athlete Ismail Dudu Kamara after his PB semi-final time of 10.39. But dashing from lane eight in the final, Will Roberts (ASW) would not be denied slashing his PB to 10.33 to take the title. Second NSW athletes was Ismail in fifth with 10.43, while in sixth Chris Ius (SYU), with 10.54, won bronze and signalled a return to the form that took him to time of 10.24 14 months ago.

Will Roberts, coached by Fred Martin joined his coach as a State champion. Fred had won five titles in the ‘80s. Race winner’s dad Gus Nketia had himself won the 2000 NSW State title.

A similar theme in the women’s 100m with the Melinda Gainsford-Taylor coached Olivia Rose Inkster (UTN), 17, following in her coaches’ shoes. Co-coached by Katie Edwards, Olivia shared the title with defending champion Monique Quirk (ILL). Melinda won seven titles in the ‘90s, her first in 1992 in a time of 11.90, slower than Olivia’s winning time of 11.70. Olivia’s recent form had her going in this direction with slightly windy times of 11.72 and 11.76, along with a wind-legal 11.92. However, her win was a surprise even to her.

“I was very shocked, but very happy to get away with a PB.” However, other than her leadup form, the signs were there in the semi-final when she defeated two strong podium prospects Bronte Carroll (MIN) and Sarah Healey (SYU).

“I got a good start in the semi-final and just kept going. I’ve been calling Mel and Katie today and both of told me I can do it.”

Olivia, who has been one of the leading athletes nationally in her age group, has certainly made progression this summer, as she explained.

“I have been training hard and haven’t been injured this year,” she said.

Olivia still rates her 200m as her best event, while also contesting the 400m. “I also like the 100m just giving it a go and having a crack.”

The joint winner, Monique Quirk is adjusting well to her new coaching environment on the Gold Coast.

In third, 16-year-old Aleksandra Stoilova (WES), just missed her PB time of 11.73. The event had tremendous depth with six athletes under 12 seconds and nineth place clocking 12.05 seconds.

Javelin training partners win

The Angus McEntyre coached duo Mackenzie Little (SYU) and Cameron McEntyre (SYP) were comfortable winners of the State javelin titles with world class throws of 56.56m and 79.42m respectively. Cameron later explained that after a sore back in the leadup he just eased into the competition. His first three throws were 74.24m, 75.48m and 73.33m, before unleashing a monster of 79.42m in round fourth when he felt more comfortable.

Race Walkers on a high

Boosted by their selection this week in the Australian team for the World Race Walking Team Championships, Tyler Jones (MIN) and Carl Gibbons (WYO) destroyed their 5000m race walking PBs recording the fastest NSW times over the distance for a decade. Tyler out dipped Carl 19:46.29 to 19:47.65, PBs of 51 and 56 seconds respectively. They are now number 20 and 22 in Australian all-time history.

In the women’s Hannah Mison (KOR) took the title in 23:16.55, ahead of Emma Blanch (SGD) 23:46.31 and Allanah Pitcher (MIN) 23:51.33, who was selected this week in the junior race for the World Race Walking Team Championships.

Para sprinters in form

Indi Cooper (KOR) continues to push her claims for Commonwealth Games selection in the T38 100m with a good pair of sub-15 second 100m times. Indi clocked 14.75 in the heat then 14.61 in the Ambulant 100m final. Mali Lovell (UTN) who just missed Tokyo Paralympic selection, has the T36 100m and 200m events on the program for the Paris Paralympics. Over the weekend she ran 100m times of 15.46 and 15.57, close to her 15.24 PB.

Metric mile thrillers

The State 1500m titles came down to the wire as just one second covered the medallists in both the men’s and women’s races. Teenagers Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN) and Patrick Cantlon (TRI) took the titles.

Jaylah, in her customary position, led for much of the race, holding off Olympic steeplechaser Georgia Winkcup 4:17.47 to 4:17.84. Holly Campbell (SYU) took the bronze in 4;18.26. In fourth, just 18, Nicola Hogg (UTN) set a PB of 4:18.37. Jaylah Hancock-Cameron, now in her first year as an open athlete, is graduating nicely. She had closed her junior career in 2021 with a stunning 4:11.93 in December. It was the fastest time by an Australian junior for 20 years and placed her sixth all-time U20 in Australian history.

Trinity’s Patrick Cantlon out dipped Stefan Music (RBH) on the line 3:45.30 to 3:45.36 to take the men’s title. Second last week in the State 5000m title, the teenager zooms to the top of the list of Australian qualifiers for the World U20 championships. However, he is more likely to chase selection in the national junior team over 3000m and 5000m. Canberra 15-year-old Cameron Myers, continued to impress with a near two-second PB of 3:46.30 in third place.

More training partners win in the triple jump

With her third best triple jump of her career, Desleigh Owusu (UTN), signalled she is approaching her best form ever, after a late start to the season. After opening with a solid 12.85m, then two fouls, she nailed 13.04m, then 13.05m, followed by a big final round foul. Her training partner, Connor Murphy (SYU), in the Andrew Murphy squad, won the men’s title with a jump of 15.47m, just ahead of Gold coast commonwealth games team member Emmanuel Fakiye (UTN) with 15.31. In third was another Murphy, teenager Finn, with a PB distance of 14.62m.

Other action:

Olympian Sarah Carli (KEJ) won the 400m hurdles in 56.27, while 18-year-old Isabella Guthrie was again in the 58s, clocking 58.51.

Gold Coast’s Tokyo Olympian Ellie Beer held off her own squad member and Rio Olympian Jessica Thornton (ILL) 53.50 to 53.80 in the women’s 400m. A couple of World U20 Championships qualifiers Jasmin Guthrie (UTN) 54.14 and Paige Campbell (CBT) 54.44, completed the NSW podium.

UTS Norths teenagers Erin Shaw and Darcy Holmes won the high jump titles with clearances of 1.82m and 2.10m respectively. Erin’s mark was a World U20 Championships qualifying height of 1.82m, while Darcy still chases the standard of 2.15m after clearing 2.10m on Friday night.

Day three action commences at 2.10pm Sunday.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Women’s 100m final (Fred Etter)

Various photos from David Tarbotton and Fred Etter.