NSW Short Course Cross Country – Junior events race reviews
Published Tue 21 Jul 2020
21 July 2020
NSW Short Course Cross Country – Junior events race reviews
With no schools and little athletics cross country events in 2020, the NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships on Sunday at West Dapto was a popular event amongst the juniors. There was a strong theme from the athletes, they were very excited to be back racing as they had found motivation a challenge with no competitions to prepare form.
Many of the athletes competing had raced on this course 11 months ago at the national cross country championships.
U20 women 4km
There was a surprise winner of the under-20 women’s 4km, when UTS Norths’ Imogen Gardiner defeated Youth Olympic Games medallist Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN). Gardiner seemed to recapture her 2018 form over 3000m where she ran 9:38. She explained her good form.
“I’ve really benefited from this COVID-19 period,” said the year 12 student who was largely studying from home over the last four months. “I really concentrated on strength and recovery as I had more time.”
Gardiner has been less regular on the Athletics NSW cross country circuit.
“I hadn’t run this course before and really enjoyed it. We went through a fairly slow first km and I was feeling pretty good and I thought I’d gap them when I could.”
Gardiner went on to clock 13:48, with Hancock-Cameron second in 13:59, while Beth Arentz (SUT) won bronze clocking 14:06.
After she graduates Gardiner aims to study human biology or biomedical science. “I’m a bio nerd,” she said.
U18 girls 3km
It was no surprise world cross country representative, Sarah Schiffmann (MQH) was a comfortable winner in the under-18 3km.
“It was really good to be back racing,” said Schiffmann. “I missed it. I was a bit nervous for the first race, but it was good to show training has been going well.”
In her first race back, she had a conservative race plan.
“The plan was to sit for the first km, and then pick it up mid-race, but the group was slowing a bit and I was feeling good, so I picked it up earlier and I was confident I could hold the pace well.”
Schiffmann clocked 10:13, defeating half-mile specialist from the Blue Mountains Georgie Purcell with 10:39, while regular podium finisher Eleanor Miller (RBH) was third in 10:52.
Miller led her club Randwick Botany to a team title on 35 points, ahead of Bankstown (59 points) and Kembla Joggers (75 points).
U17 girls 3km
In the under-17 girls 3km, Balmain’s Emma Olson-Keating, was one of the many medallists from Dani Andres’ Pulse Performance squad at the championships.
“I was really just happy to be back racing,” she said. “I was just running today to see where I am at and have fun.”
Olson-Keating won in a time of 10:34, from Ruby Madden (Run Crew) 10:44 and Hayley Kitching (Coffs Harbour) 10:50.
U16 girls 3km
One of the strongest fields at the championships lined up in the under-16 girls 3km. The tough competition didn’t stop Illawong Revesby’s Imogen Stewart winning the event by 20 seconds in 10:17. Second placed Jean Stump has been on the improve, after placing sixth last year at the CIS cross country. Stump, running for Sydney Athletics Academy, clocked 10:37. In third, with 10:45, was Alexia Kalamvokis (ILL) who placed fourth last year at the Australian Cross Country Championships on this very course.
U15 girls 3km
The under-15 girls race was a very close finish with just one second separating the gold and silver medallists.
“It was close at the end, I just had to run as hard as I could as I only had a little bit left,” said eventual winner Sarah Baker (UTS Norths) who clocked 10:53. “It was a good race and fun running with the older girls and just seeing how fast I could run after being in isolation. I’m usually in the under-14s, but after putting in the hard training I wanted to compare,” said Baker who had run one age higher.
A very close second was Olivia Greenhalgh (BAN) with 10:54 ahead of third placed Ingrid Kingsmill (Sydney Striders) 11:02.
U14 girls 2km
Another very close race was in the under-14 girls 2km, where Fleur Cooper (Mosman) won in 6:50, from Trinity’s Claudia Meaker with 6:52.
“It has been hard to train with no races to focus on. I’m glad to be back racing,” said Cooper, who is coached by Paul Switzer.
The bronze medal was won by local Kembla Joggers athlete Amelia Norton running 6:58.
U13 girls 2km
Winner of the under-13 girls 2km, Charlotte ODowd was like so many, very excited to be back running.
“I haven’t raced in so long it is so good to get back and feel the adrenalin,” she said. “During training there was not enough motivation when there was nothing to work towards.”
ODowd had a define race goal.
“I hadn’t raced recently and I didn’t know about the speed of others, so I planned on just doing my own pace.”
ODowd’s win in 6:57 was the first of three for coach Paul Switzer on the day.
In second was Emerson Leadbeatter (MQH) with 7:04, ahead of bronze medallists Piper Simpson (RBH) with 7:07.
U12 girls 2km
In the under-12 girls 2km Mia Guillergan, led home a strong performance from her club, Sydney Athletics Academy, who filled four of the top-5 places.
Guillergan clocked 7:06 to narrowly defeat 2019 Australian 10-years national champion Keira Toohey (SUT) who ran 7:07. Philippa Quarrell SAA) was third in 7:09.
Sydney Athletics Academy won the team event with 8 points, well ahead of a tight battle between silver medallists Randwick Botany and bronze medallists Bankstown both on 60 points.
U11 girls 2km
In the U11 girls 2km, there was an enormous win for Adelaide Pittis of Orange Runners. She won by 31 seconds in a time of 7:29. Coached by Mitch and her parents, she was anxious in the build up to the race.
“I was very nervous this whole week,” she said.
Second was Isabel O’Connell from Tamworth in 8:00, with Piper Sweeny (RBH) third running 8:03.
U20 boys 4km
The class of Newcastle’s Luke Young (NEW), seemed to ensure he was in control all the way although in the end it was a narrow two second win 12:06 to 12:08 over Oli Raimond (SUT).
“It was good fun, nice and hard,” Young said. “I felt better than I had in training, which is always good. We maintained a consistent pace around three minute ks all the way.”
He enjoyed resuming competition.
“I haven’t race since I ran a 1500m PB in Auckland (last summer), so it was nice to get some racing in.”
Tall Trinity athlete Ethan Brouw made a big improvement on his 74th in the under-18 event at the 2019 Australian Cross Country Championships at this very venue. Brouw led his team Trinity to a very close team event with Trinity winning on 50 points ahead of Kembla Joggers 52 and Bankstown 53 points.
U18 Boys 4km
A big improver in the under-18 boys 4km was the narrow winner Daniel Kelly (Run Crew). As a 16-year-old he placed 83rd in the under-18 Australian title last year at this venue, but yesterday took a narrow victory in 12:14, ahead of Liam Hinchcliffe (BAN) 12:15 and Trinity’s Lachlan Townsend with 12:20.
Kelly had a strong lead early and explained why the field narrowed on him.
“In the first 2km it was the best I’ve ever felt but recently I’ve had some stomach troubles, but on the third km I just had to try and keep relaxed and get through. I was confident with my kick from my training with Benny (St Lawrence).“
He has had a good six months of training, last summer and then during Covid-19.
“I went to falls creek over Christmas then I got a good block of training in leading up to the cancelled nationals, then Benny organised a 5000m time trial and I ran 14:43 as a 16-year-old.”
U17 boys 4km
The Jeremy Roff coached Bailey Habler (RBH) was a very impressive winner in the under-17 boys 4km event. The smooth running Habler, held a gap over the field for most of the race, reaching the finish line in 12:26, 12 seconds ahead of Trinity’s Theo Christian who ran 12:38. Christian has been on the improve, as he clocked 13:06 on this very course last year when he placed 13th at the Australian Cross Country Championships. In third was Hamish Hart (Mingara) clocking 12:42.
U16 Boys 3km
A late surge by Tamworth’s Adam Williams (Bankstown) saw him sail home to victory in the under-16 boys 3km.
“It was really hard racing. We went out at a really honest pace,” he said. “Nathan Stanmore then led down the back section by about 10 metres, but we caught up to him.”
Was Williams surprised to defeat Stanmore, a quick 1:54 half-miler?
“Oh yeh, he is such a good runner he has speed at the end as he is an 800m runner. I didn’t think I’d be able to get him.”
Why does Williams think he has improved under coach Andae Kalemusic?
“My training has been more consistent recently after some injuries previously.”
Adam Williams (BAN) clocked 9:16, one second ahead of Nathan Stanmore (BAL) 9:17 with Jonathan Meaker (TRI) third in 9:22.
U15 boys 3km
Trinity’s Luca Gillard was a comfortable winner of the under-15 boys 3km. The 2019 Australian Cross Country bronze medallist clocked 9:48, to win from Randwick Botany’s Oliver Neate (9:56) and Illawong’s Miles Carson running 10:04.
U14 boys 2km
U13 Boys 2km
There was a tremendous win by Kobe Stewart (ILL) in the under-13 2km, defeating Matthew McLachlin (TRI) 6:13 to 6:26. It reversed the result from the 2019 Australian Cross Country Championships on this very course where the two talented athletes won gold and silver.
“He has beaten me a bit more,” said Stewart who has found training tough during Covid-19 times. “It has been hard to motivate yourself without others and my squad.”
U12 Boys 2km
A sound tactical plan secured victory for the Dani Andres coached Will Cheshire (Balmain) in the under-12 2km.
“My plan was to sit behind the leaders for the first 1500m, then I was going to ‘go’ in the last 500m,” said Cheshire who won in a time of 6:44.
“I didn’t think I could win today I was only expecting to place about third. I was feeling good today. I’ve trained a lot during isolation.”
Trent Ally (Run Crew) was second in 6:51, with Austin Martinus (Sutherland) in third with 6:53.
U11 Boys
The honour of the first Athletics NSW state champion upon resumption of competition was Thomas Chalmers (Kotara South) in the under-11 boys 2km. He defeated twin brother Mitchell by just one second 6:52 to 6:53.
“It was a hard run, but felt quick,” Chalmers said. “All the others did well.”
His strong Newcastle-based squad, under coach Ang Leadbeatter, filled four of the top-8 places.
Chalmers, who also runs at school and in Little Athletics was keen to run at this event.
“School competition got cancelled so it is my only athletics of the year.”
Third place was Trinity’s Patrick McMahon with 6:56.
Para Events
There was a strong contingent of para-athletics athletes competing across the event. Many ran as part of able-bodied teams.
Layla Sharp placed 41st in the under-14 girls 2km and helped her club team, Run Crew, to fifth in the teams event.
Sharp (T12) clocked 8:32 for the race.
“I was happy with my race today and with my time,” she said.
The St Mary’s athlete has sort out a special coach and now her race guide from the Blue Mountains, dual Olympian Ben St Lawrence.
“I needed someone with experience and he helped me safely get through the course. Ben basically directed me throughout the race. He would tell me if there was a divot I need to be careful of, so I would take it a bit slower.
“I had a month off training and now since I’ve started training with Ben I’m back to where I was before.”
In the men’s open competition, Sutherland’s Kyle McIntosh ran 6:22 for the 2km race.
“It feels good to be back racing after four months away from competition,” said McIntosh.
“It was a good course and nice conditions today. This is a good course to start the season. I’m looking forward to Nowra hills as it is a very challenging course.”
McIntosh is working towards his end of season goal.
“I’m hoping for national XC in October if that goes ahead.”
In the open women’s 2km event, UTS Norths’ Mali Lovell (T36) took the honours clocking 8:57, ahead of Summer Giddings (T35, Hills) with 14:31 and in third Belinda Scott (T20, Asics Wests) clocking 8:38.
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Start of the under-15 girls XC (courtesy of David Tarbotton)
