NSW Juniors: Commonwealth Youth and World Champs qualifiers highlight the action

Published Mon 27 Feb 2023

27 February 2023

NSW Juniors: Commonwealth Youth and World Champs qualifiers highlight the action

Izzy Louison-Roe and Delta Amidzovski were the stars of the 2023 NSW Junior Championships going undefeated across the weekend and securing Commonwealth Youth Games qualifiers.

Competing in four events over the three days St George’s Izzy Louison-Roe, 15, won three jumps and the 100m hurdles - all in personal bests. She started with a win in the under-17 100m hurdles in 14.05, followed shortly after by a great battle in the long jump against regular rival Temora’s Grace Krause. Izzy narrowly took the title 5.82m to Grace’s 5.81m. On Saturday she concentrated on the triple jump, twice bounding past her previous best ending up at 12.83m in round two. The distance moved her into the top-20 on the Australian junior all-time list. On Sunday, in the heat of the day, she endured a very long high jump competition, delayed for an hour mid-event by an accident to a competitor. But amazingly Izzy was still able to clear a personal best height of 1.82m, narrowly missing 1.84m. The achievement was the icing on the cake for the weekend as it was also a Commonwealth Youth Games qualifier (event to be held in Trinidad and Tobago), for the athlete with Australian/Jamaican heritage. Unfortunately there is no triple jump at the Commonwealth Youth and Izzy is just outside the standards in the hurdles and long jump.

“I’m very tired, but couldn’t be more happy,” reflected Izzy after the high jump. “It was PBs all-round.”

Why does she think she has progressed this year?

“I’ve been doing more training, not really for the event, but strength training,” said Izzy who is coached by her mother Karen Roe – a jumps and strength and conditioning coach in the Sutherland Shire.

Delta delivers another record

Athletics Wollongong’s Delta Amidzovski kicked off her record breaking weekend lowering her own NSW under-18 100m hurdles record by clocking 13.42. The time also dipped under the 13.67 standard for the Commonwealth Youth Games. Later in the day she won the long jump with a distance of 5.93m. After bypassing the 100m on Saturday, she returned to the track on Sunday to clock a massive 200m PB of 24.11 into a headwind. It was the fastest 200m of the day. Delta needed to be in form as Jasynta Lampret was hot on her heels in the 200m (24.28) and 100m hurdles (13.55).

More records from Mali Lovell as she nails a World Champs qualifier

After clocking numerous World Para Athletics Championship B qualifiers, Mali Lovell broke through for an A qualifier for the championships to be held in Paris later this year. It also sets her up for the Paris Paralympics in 2024. The UTS Norths teenager, who is coached by Katie Edwards and Mel Gainsford-Taylor, was competing in the women’s under-20 Para Ambulant 200m, and also broke her own Australian U20 record clocking 30.45 into a headwind.

Chelsy Wayne nails another Commonwealth Youth qualifier

Wollongong 15-year-old Chelsy Wayne continued her progress into new territory on the weekend with another discus PB and a Commonwealth Youth Games qualifier. On her fourth attempt in the under-17 discus, she launched the 1kg implement out to 51.56m, to add 33cm to her best and move to number 23 Australian under-20 all-time. It was also nearly five metres past the standard for the Commonwealth Youths.

Sultana sweet over 200m, as Daniel Cattana joins the sprint ranks

Despite some healthy competition from rising star Daniel Cattana and training partner Joseph Ayoade, Australian under-18 100m record holder Sebastian Sultana won the under-20 200m in a near PB time of 21.00 seconds, from Daniel (21.25) and Joseph (21.26).

Returning to Sydney after competing in Thursday nights Maurie Plant Meet in Melbourne, Sebastian by passed the 100m the take the honours in the longer sprint.

The credentials of Sebastian and Joseph Ayoade are well known, but Daniel Cattana’s result was a revelation.

“I probably surprised myself,” said Daniel after his third consecutive PB in a month.

“About three years ago, in 2019, I had a stress fracture in my back.” He also had hip flexor issues.

But in year 12 at Trinity Grammar under coach Andrew Murphy he started to make good progress, but still his 200m result was not expected.

“I knew I had leg speed, but have added speed endurance. I probably surprised myself. I honestly thought they were better than myself and Joseph beat me yesterday in the 100m.”

Daniel is now studying Sports Science/management at UTS and working part-time as a landscaper. He continues to be inspired by the company he trains with under Andrew Murphy – with athletes like Rohan Browning, Connor Murphy and Sam Dale.