NSW Cross Country: Juniors impressive ahead of track season

12 October 2020

NSW Cross Country: Juniors impressive ahead of track season

The COVID-effected winter season has closed on a high at the 2020 NSW Cross Country Championships over the weekend in Wollongong with many promising junior performances ahead of a return to the track. With limited competition recently, the athletes unleashed at the cross country as many new names emerged, many from the country area.

Two junior athletes Sarah Schiffmann and Imogen Stewart dominated their events. Sarah Schiffmann, with Macquarie Hunter Club, who was an outstanding 42nd at the World Junior Cross Country in 2019, cruised to victory in the under-20 6km, clocking 21:32 for a 100+ seconds winning margin. She moved things along on lap two as she explained.

“I was taking everything into the wind on the first lap, so I thought I’m not going to sit in-front of them again in this wind, so I stepped it up a little,” she said.

In contrast, Illawong/Revesby’s Imogen Stewart was seemingly sprinting from the gun as she clocked a very impressive 13:07 in the under-16 4km.

“I felt confident going into the race and was able to go from the gun,” Stewart said. “I’d had a consistent six-week block of training.”

After an extended low-key year, which included the COVID period, Stewart is eager to resume racing on the track.

“I’ve always liked track rather than cross country so keen to get out and race. I haven’t run a PB for two years, so I would like to run a PB this summer,” said the year 9 PLC Croydon student.

Country athletes were prominent in the results over the weekend. Including Schiffman, six athletes won junior titles and there were more in the para events, masters and of course Warren’s Paige Campbell winning the open race.

Leading the country charge were Coffs Harbour pair, Olissa Onley and Hayley Kitching who placed first and third respectively, in the under-17 4km race. Onley was enjoying a return to competition.

“It was a really good hit out as I have been just training through this extended period of no races,” said Onley who appreciates a mate from her own town competing alongside her.

“We have a good rivalry and are really good friends,” said the year 11 student who is coached by Andrew Rowlings.

Hayley Kitching was pleased with her third place.

“I think it was really good as I’ve been a little injured and not running,” she said. It was an improvement on her fourth place at the Short Course Cross Country in July.

Kitching also noted the benefit of another athlete from Coffs Harbour competing.

“It is really good as you always know someone, and we are always there for each other. We are in the middle of nowhere with a seven-hour drive to reach here, so it is pretty cool.”

Olissa Onley clocked 14:28, ahead of Balmain’s Emma Olson-Keating (14:31) and Hayley Kitching (14:46).

In the under-18 6km event, Robertson’s Liam Hinchcliffe (Bankstown club) moved up from his second place at the Short Course cross country to win over the weekend. It was a two-person race with Trinity’s Lachlan Townsend. The pair defeated the remainder of the field by over two minutes. Hinchcliffe made a decisive move on the second lap. “On the back section at 2km to go, I ‘put in’ and was not sure if Lachlan would be able to go with me,” said Hinchcliffe who went on to win in 19:28, ahead of Townsend with 19:43.

Tamworth’s Adam Williams (Bankstown club) claimed his second cross country title of the year clocking 12:43 in the under-16 4km event.

“The leaders took it out quite fast and I just tried to stick behind them,” Williams said. “Towards the end of the race I tried to wind it up over the last 1.5k and I managed to drop Luca Gillard (Trinity). He ran a great race up an age group and that is great to see. Then I tried to extend my lead to the end.” Williams clocked 12:43, ahead of Gillard’s 12:59.

There was more country gold in the under-11 2km when Orange’s Adelaide Pittis winning in 7:22 minutes and Dubbo’s Ella Penman claiming the under-15 4km title clocking 15:02 minutes.

Sydney Striders athlete Nicola Hogg made a late run home to win the under-18 4km.

“I started off at a steady pace keeping up with the front pack seeing how I was going. Then on the second lap I found something extra,” she said, winning in a time of 14:05 from Eleanor Miller (Randwick Botany) with 14:23.

“I had a bit of a break over COVID, but have since been getting back into it,” said Hogg who trains in the Ben Liddy squad.

Randwick Botany Athletics club were very successful with four titles. The Jeremy Roff coached pair Oliver Neate and Bailey Habler won their under-15 4km and under-17 6km events. Under the coaching of Warren and Jordan Williams, Piper Simpson took the under-13 3km title, while Gary Howard/Ben St Lawrence coached Drew Fryer was the under-20 8km champion in 25:53.

Other winners were:

U11 2km Patrick McMahon (Trinity) 6:43

U12 3km Trent Alley (RunCrew) 10:11

U13 3km Kobe Stewart (Illawong/Revesby) 9:41

U14 3km Oliver White (Sydney Athletics Academy) 9:48

U12 3km Mia Guillergan (Sydney Athletics Academy) 11:11

U14 3km Fleur Cooper (Mosman) 10:31

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Images: Illawong/Revesby’s Imogen Stewart on the way to a win in the under-16 event (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)