NSW Junior Championships Day 2: 3ks and more hurdles

13 March 2025

NSW Junior Championships Day 2: 3ks and more hurdles

Warm conditions and tailwinds aided the athlete performances on day two of the NSW junior Championships being held at Homebush.

15/U16 3000m – Evan Rowbotham  

Randwick Botany distance talent, Evan Rowbotham, collected another state title, sprinting away from the field over the last lap. At the bell, there was less than two seconds between the top-6, but with 400m to go Evan put the foot down clocking 59 seconds for the last lap. He sailed home in 9:11.83 minutes.

“It was pretty hard. I kind of struggled during the first half. The second half was a bit easier, but it was rough,” said Evan.

The weather had an impact on his race plan – making it a very tactical race.

“A week ago, I was thinking of going a bit harder, but then the weather was about 36 degrees.”
He may only be 15, but he has already compiled an impressive winning record at State and National level. How does he maintain the momentum?

“I keep my mileage low and consistent and just have fun doing other things like surfing and going to the beach.”

U20 110m Hurdles - Kunal Menon

Over the last few years Billy Blair has dominated his age in the hurdles, which has included winning national titles. But this year he gradated to the 99cm/U20 hurdles and the one-year-old Kunal Menon is providing tough competition for Billy.

Kunal Menon, has really stepped up this summer, after commencing the season with a best of 14.89, he has broken his PB on four occasion hitting a very impressive 14.01 today to win the NSW U20 110m hurdles title, ahead of Billy Blair with 14.44 – a PB for him.

After the race, he could not comprehend just what had occurred.

“I don't know what happened today. It's crazy. I'm really happy with it.”

Bill had started better than Kunal. But it was not until the end he got away for the win.

“He (Billy) had a good start, but I've got good speed endurance,”

Other hurdle standouts

World U20 championships bronze medallist Delta Amidzovski is in magnificent form. The recently crowned Australian Short Track 60m champion clocked 13.23 to win the NSW U20 100m hurdle title. She has only once run faster, 13.22, in her heat at the World U20 championships, on the way to her historic medal.

In the 13/U14 80m hurdles Madeleine Burge grabbed the title in a close battled clocking a wind assisted 12.67.

For the second time in a week, Ollie Facer just missed the NSW U18 110m hurdles record of 13.37 seconds. Last week he ran 13.40 and today 13.44. Both performances cemented him as the 5th fastest in Australian history.

Port Hacking club mates, Sophie Howson and Alexia Mathison battle for gold in the 14/U15 90m hurdles with just 0.07 second separating them. Sophie taking the win in 12.53 from Alexia 12.60. They were comfortably ahead of the entire field.

More 3000m highlights

In the 15/U16 3000m, the 8-time Athletics Australia champion Eliza Lawton clocked her third sub-9:35 time of her career. The 14-year-old ran away mid-race from very strong competition including two previous gold medallists from the championships, steeplechaser Annabelle Vella (9:48.47) and race walker Sophie Polkinghorne (9:58.71).

A very promising win by Bathurst’s Ethan Donges in the 16/U17 3000m. From a strong distance running family (uncle Michael and great uncle Geoff), Ethan who was second at the NSW Country Championships in January, when one step higher on the podium to take the title in a quick time of 9:05.80. Last month he was chasing the National standard, but no need to worry about that now he is State champion.

The U20 men’s 3000m had tremendous depth with NSW All Schools champion Cooper Phillips winning another state title in 8:32.82. What was tremendous to see was the high number of country athletes - in this race five of the top-7 were country athletes.

U20 Javelin Throw – Tali Baltineshter and Isabelle Cruickshank  

Javelin throwers Tali Baltineshter and Isabelle Cruickshank put on another master class in the under-20 event. Tali took the win with her first round effort of 46.78m, ahead of Isabelle’s late round rally, throwing 45.02m on her fifth attempt.

Close battles in the throws

Less than a metre separated the top-2 in a number of long throwing events.

In the under-20 women’s discus, World U20 Championships representative Chelsy Wayne held off the current Australian All Schools champion Jessica Johnston 49.36m to 48.53m.

Toby Camilleri’s two last attempts (58.08m and 57.40m) in the under-20 javelin, nearly caught Ruann Eksteen’s early round effort of 58.62m. Just as close was the U18 event with Cherrybrook’s Justin Billingsley taking gold ahead of William Jenkins 51.66m to 51.18m.

Jumping action – Amalia Bond and David Yap outstanding

In the 15/U16 long jump, Amalia Bond’s early round leap of 5.50m would have been sufficient for the win, but with the gold in the bank on the last jump of the competition she let fly launching herself out to a 5.78m and rightfully receiving applause from the crowd.

In the 15/U16 long jump Davin Yap was brilliant, not just with his best mark, but recording no fouls and four consistent jumps. He leapt 6.24m, 6.27m, 6.24m then closed the competition with 6.35m. He defeated rising hurdle talent Zach Gillett who hit 6.13m.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Evan Rowbotham 15/U16 3000m (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)