NSW Long Walks Championships Review

22 Aug 2022

NSW Long Walks Championships Review

NSW’s Long Walks Championship was held in glorious weather conditions yesterday at Chipping Norton.

Wagga’s Hannah Mison, set an impressive PB winning the open women’s 20km walk. She clocked 1:43.20 to clip over a minute from her previous best set in Adelaide in February when she placed a promising fifth in the Oceania Championships in 1:44.32. Hannah, 20, is ranked nationally just behind Australia’s outstanding group of international race walkers. Also competing over 20km, Westfields teenager, Raven Pyda took out the U20 event in 1:58.41.

Members of NSW’s terrific group of rising junior women stars – Elizabeth McMillen (SYP) and Hannah Bolton (MIN), were again in action. Both took on the challenge of the 15km walk. Elizabeth, 18, has one more year in juniors, and Hannah, who turns 19 in December, are nearing their final competitions as juniors. Both will step-up to the 20km as seniors, so 15km was a good introduction to the longer distance for them. Elizabeth won the U20 15km walk State title in 1:17.25, from Hannah with 1:24.55.

After an early battle with Westfields’ Ciara Cassilles, Sienna Pitcher (MIN) took out the U16 girls 5km walk in 26:01, with Ciara clocking 26:45.

Other NSW champions crowned on the day were:

U16 5km walk boys Joel Byatt (GIR) 28:43

U18 8km walk boys Brendan Pospischil (WIN) 47:36

U18 8km walk girls Tara Laytham (RBH) 48:12

U12 2km walk boys Callum Martin (Adm) 10:44

U12 2km walk girls Hannah Hewitt (ASW) 11:08

U14 3km walk girls Sophie Polkinghorne (PAR) 15:45

U14 3km walk boys Jaxson Horton (WES) 16:45

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Hannah Mison on the way to winning the open 20km walk (courtesy of David Tarbotton)