PREVIEW: NSW Short Course XC U20 Events
Published Sat 18 Jul 2020
18 July 2020
PREVIEW: NSW Short Course XC U20 Events
The under-20 races have attracted NSW’s two 2018 Youth Olympic Games representatives Luke Young and Jaylah Hancock-Cameron and they will start favourites in their races at the NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships this Sunday at West Dapto.
In the men’s, brilliant 800/1500m track specialist Luke Young (NFR), has the credentials to take this title over 4km. On this same course last year, he was the leading NSW junior with his 10th at the national cross country, and earlier won the U20 NSW Cross Country Championship at Nowra.
”I am really excited to get back to competition,” said Young. “I have been enjoying training and have been pretty much injury free during this time. The break has allowed me to really concentrate and focus on my training. It will be great to catch up with the other athletes and see the results of my training.”
Randwick Botany’s Drew Fryer was second to Young in Nowra and just two seconds behind at the national cross and is logically a threat. Fryer, ran a solid 32:44 10km XC in the recent Run Crew squad XC trial.
The 4km distance will suit Oli Raimond (Sutherland), who compiled a superb summer of performances with PBs over 800m (1:51.22), 1500m (3:46.31) and 3000m (8:09.95).
“I’m certainly looking forward to getting out there and having a race,” said Raimond. “I think just about everyone’s keen to get the spikes back on after a track season cut short, so should be a great field. I feel as though I’ve been training fairly well, but it’s impossible to tell what sort of form you’re really in until you’re out there racing.”
Of the graduating under-18s from the 2019 National XC who have entered for Sunday, just 15 seconds separated six of them. They all have podium potential - Angus Beer (NCA), Lachlan Bryant (RCR), Kieran Gorman (UTN), Kai Hammond (SGD), Hamish Longworth (BAN) and local Luke Hince (KEJ).
In the women’s race, the 2018 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist in the 1500m/XC, Jaylah Hancock-Cameron (BAN) will be tough to defeat. In her last appearance at this course she won the under-18 Australian XC title. After a late start to the 2020 season, in part due to the bush fires, Hancock-Cameron closed her summer with a quick 4:20 1500m, just outside the standard for the World U20 Championships and is in form ahead of the resumption of competition.
“I’m excited to get back out there and start racing again, it’s been a long anticipated wait and it’ll be nice to see all the hard work behind the scenes finally come together,” Hancock-Cameron said. “Training had been going well, each session feeling that little bit stronger and with the support of the squad it has made these hard times feel that little bit easier to get out and put in the hard work knowing you aren’t alone.”
Although not a regular at NSW XC events, strong competition will come from Imogen Gardiner (UTS Norths) who also ran 4:20 last summer and has a strong 3000m PB of 9:38.
Other competition is expected from sub-10 minutes 3000m athlete Tiahna Woodger (SUT), 4:26 1500m athlete Beth Arentz (SUT), Oceania Championships medallists Sophie Gocher (RYD), defending champion Chloe Pateman (KEJ), 2019 NSW U18 short course XC champion Niamh Sanday (HDA) and 11th placegetter at the 2019 national XC (U18) Rosie Fordham (UTN).
David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Luke Young (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)
EVENT SUMMARY
What: Waratah Run Series 106th NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships
Where: Kembla Joggers Cross-Country Park, West Dapto, Wollongong
Date: Sunday 19 July 2020
Entries: closed
Events: U11 to masters 80+
Host club: Kembla Joggers
More information including timetable, entries, COVID safe plans, uniform and directions.
