NSW’s Talented Under-20s

5 May 2021

NSW’s Talented Under-20s

With the inevitable announcement last week that Australia will not be sending a junior team to the World U20 Championships in August, we feature our crop of emerging juniors athletes in NSW.

While very disappointing for our athletes hoping to wear the green and gold on the world stage, the backlog of major championships means 2022 has a range of international championship prospects for our athletes. The 2021 World University Games, one of the key pathway events, has been postponed to 2022 and is just one in a list of many achievable national teams. Also in 2022 will be under-20 events at the World Cross Country in Bathurst, and another cross country is the World Uni race. In May is the World Race Walking Team Championship, which also has under-20 events. Then the busy June-August could potentially include World University Games, World U20 Championships in Columbia, Commonwealth Games and even a World Championships.

SPRINTS

NSW women were strong across the sprints. At the trials Westfield’s 15-year-old Aleksandra Stoilova capped a tremendously consistent six months of racing clocking 11 sub-12 second times, and another five wind-assisted sub-12 marks, closing the season in second place in the national U20 100m. Wollongong’s Tierney Dunne made steady progression throughout the summer, nailing it when it counted with PBs of 11.91 (100m) and 24.22 (200m) in the national U20 finals to place third and second respectively.

Dunne’s 200m silver was behind standout NSW long sprinter Caitlyn Ferrier (ASW) who clocked three 200m qualifiers and one over 400m. Ferrier had placed second in the earlier U20 400m. A few days after the U20 200m championships, NSW 16-year-old pair Olivia Inkster (UTN) and Emma Lee (SUT) sliced half a second of their respective 200m PBs in the U18 national title, clocking World U20 qualifying times of 23.82 and 23.92 respectively.

In the U20 400m 17-year-old Jasmin Guthrie (UTN) lowered her two-year-old PB to 54.21 to win the race. The time was importantly just under the World U20 standard. Another NSW World U20 qualifier, Sidney Burrell (HIL) placed fourth and would later finish fifth in a PB in a stacked 800m final.

Ahead of dominating the U17 sprints/hurdles later in the championships, Rashid Kabba (WES) won bronze in the U20 100m. Joshua Atkinson (HIL) was outstanding. Running regular 47s in the 400m all summer, he dipped under-47 to clock a PB 46.95 for silver in the 400m final, his third U20 qualifier.

MIDDLE DISTANCE

The depth in middles distance events, dominated by NSW women was phenomenal. The 800m and 1500m each had five qualifiers. Broulee’s Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN) was supreme winning the 1500m and placing second in the 800m. In the U20 800m, Blue Mountains athlete Matilda Ryan (UTN) overcame a near all NSW field. In a close race a pack on five NSW athletes were still together down the back straight on the last lap. Ryan, prevailed winning in 2:05.90, her fourth World U20 qualifier. One of the youngest, 17-year-old Nicola Hogg (UTN) was on the podium in both, placing second in the 1500m and third in the half-mile, where she nailed the World U20 standard. Imogen Gardiner (UTN) who had a 1500m qualifier, placed third in the race, then won the 3000m/5000m double, gallantly chasing qualifiers in both events. Owner of 1500m and 3000m qualifiers, Imogen Stewart (ILL), didn’t compete in the nationals.

In the men’s U20 800m, it was all NSW, winning gold and silver and placing four in the top-5. Red hot favourite Charlie Jeffreson (KIN) was pushed all the way to the line by quarter-miler Josh Atkinson (HIL) as they clocked times of 1:48.96 and 1:49.10, respectively – a one second PB and first qualifier for Atkinson. Both are eligible for the 2022 World U20 team.

Blue Mountains distance runner Daniel Kelly (RUNCREW) claimed a monumental victory in the U20 3000m in a quick championships time of 8:16.98, just outside the World U20 standard. He also won bronze in the 5000m running 14:33.21.

HURDLES

Overcoming an injury interrupted season Nicolette D’Onofrio (UTN) was a close second in the national U20 100m hurdles in a slightly wind assisted 13.96 in striking range of the 13.78 standard. In the 400m hurdles, Isabella Guthrie (UTN), twin of Jasmin, the winner of the 400m, won the hurdles and was also tantalisingly close to the World U20 standard. She took nearly a second off her PB set in the heat, clocking 60.13. After running 60.20 pre-Christmas, Emily Smith (UTN) won the U18 title in 62.48.

One athlete to clock a World U20 Championships qualifier was Newcastle’s Mitchell Lightfoot. He placed third in a very high quality 110m hurdles event. Arriving at the championships with a best of 14.04, Lightfoot clocked 13.94 in the heat, just outside the 13.93 standard, but in the final he ran 13.91 to dip under the standard.

Favourite for the men’s U20 400m hurdles, Dominic Panozzo (UTN), never got a chance to mount a challenge, after being disqualified in the heat. He will be age-eligible for the team next year.

WALKS

Bronze medallist in the U20 10,000m was Emma Blanch (STG) with a promising time of 52:08.46. She will be a contender next year, age-eligible for the 2022 World U20 team. Mingara’s Jack McGinniskin led home the NSW athletes in fourth place clocking 49:55.09.

JUMPS

Early in the year NSW athlete’s Erin Shaw (UTN) and Rosie Tozer (WOL) achieved what would eventually be the only qualifying marks for the World U20 Championships ahead of the Australian junior championships. At the trials, after a shaky start, Shaw added a second qualifier of 1.82m, just below her earlier PB of 1.84m, to win the title. Tozer placed equal third with a clearance of 1.72m, to go along with her season which included three clearances at 1.78m or higher, including the 1.82m qualifier. Also equal third in the U20 championships was Coffs Harbour-heptathlete Alexandra Harrison who during the season cleared 1.75m of higher on four occasions.

NSW’s junior long jumpers were key players in one of the best events of the Australian U20 Championships. Never more than three athletes had exceeded six metre in this championship, (3 athletes in 1997, 2004 & 2016), but five surpassed that barrier in a high standard competition. The key medals were decided in the last round when NSW’s Tomysha Clark (ILL) moved from equal fourth with a jump of 5.91m, into the lead with her first World U20 Championships qualifier of 6.19m. Then on the last round of the competition, Victorian Mietta Russell regained the lead taking gold with a leap of 6.40m – equal sixth Australian U20 all-time. There was a fantastic series from Central Coast’s Katie Gunn (WYO) with every legal jump was over six metres, topped by her second-round effort of 6.08m. In November Gunn leapt her PB 6.13m, just short of the 6.15m World U20 standard. Fifth was Charlotte McGill (SYU) with a slightly wind assisted 6.01m jump – her first time over six metres. Alyssa Lowe was sixth with 5.91m and Tiahna Skelton set a PB of 5.82m in eighth.

In the triple jump, Charlotte McGill (SYU) won comfortably with the second longest jump of her career - 12.71m.

In the men’s high jump, the leading NSW junior action was in the under-18 championship, where Darcy Holmes (UTN) waged a battle with WA’s Alex Perin. The lead see-sawed with Holmes taking silver with 2.06m and Perin the gold at 2.09m

In the men’s pole vault, Ethan Princena-White (BAN) was locked in a close battle for all the medals, clearing a 2021 best of 4.70m to place third. In the long jump Liam Fairweather (MAI) placed second with a 10cm PB jump of 7.44m. But two days later in the qualifying rounds of the open long jump, Fairweather leapt out to another PB of 7.56m, just 2cm short of the World U20 standard. In the U20 championship, Wagga’s Godfrey Okerenyang, continued a successful return from injury, to placed fourth with 7.23m, missing the bronze on countback.

With a very consistent series of all sixth jumps between 14.78m and 14.87m, Ryan Marshall (SYP) won silver in the triple jump.

THROWS

Sally Shokry finished on the podium in both the shot put and discus events. In the shot, she was a comfortable second with a put of 13.45m. In her speciality the discus, she was locked in a close battle, eventually finishing third with a throw of 48.17m. But four days later in the open championship Shokry recorded her first U20 Championhsips qualifier of 50.91m – also a PB. Just outside the medals in fourth were Alysha Pearson (shot 12.68m) and Renee Hardy (hammer 50.11m).

In the javelin Lianna Davidson (ASW) continued her teriffic season placing third with a throw of 52.11m – her fourth World U20 Championships qualifier. Her season best of 54.64m makes her the seventh best Australian junior all-time.

Jason Paramaxidis (ILL) was in a very close battle for the U20 shot title, evantually placing second with a PB of 16.46m. Lucas Rose (ASW) just missed a medal in the discus with a throw of 49.18m. In the hammer throw, Thomas Shannon (UTN) just missed his PB to take the bronze with his second round effort of 59.38m. In the javelin Jack Greaves (TRI) launched his opening attempt out to 62.48m, then passed his next four attempts, but unfortuantely in the last round Queenslander Connor Addley, just passed him with a throw of 63.03m.

COMBINED EVENT

NSW athletes filled third of the top-4 places in the heptathlon. Grafton’s Hanna Tait won silver with 4672 points, ahead of Ella Koster (UTN) 4512 points and high jumper Alexandra Harrison (COF) 4264 points.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: High jumper Erin Shaw (courtesy David Tarbotton)