Stories from the 78th NSW Country Championships

Published Sun 23 Jan 2022

23 January 2022

Stories from the 78th NSW Country Championships

The 2022 NSW Country Championships, held in Maitland, were the 78th edition of a feature event on the NSW athletics calendar. The event, first held in 1939 at the Sydney Sports Ground, are a relaxed, country community event. The gathering of NSW country athletes, who love their athletics, is an opportunity to renew friendships built up over years of meeting at the annual event.

George Wells going under the radar
One of the highlights of the Australian All Schools in December was the Australian record by Amosia Soatini in the under-16 shot put, but quietly going around in second place was Mingara’s George Wells, with an extraordinary put of 18.62m. He had earlier won the discus. He is actually thankful for the competition.
“I was almost glad to come second - he is good competition,” said George. “It is good watching him get to where he is now.”
But the new year brings challengers for George as he graduates to a heavier implements. The Country Championships would be the first major competition with the new implements. He made a good start, nailing 15.72m in the under-17s with the 5kg shot.
“It is a lot heavier than the 4kg I must say, but in time I’ll throw it well,” said George.
An even bigger challenge is the discus, where he moves from the 1kg to 1.5kg implement. At Country he reached 48.45m.
There is always the inevitable questions of his future best event?
“I’m leaning toward discus.”

Long Jumpers on fire
We saw some of the longest jumps in the history of the championships in the open and under-20 events over the weekend. When teenager Liam Fairweather on January 9 leapt a PB 7.58m in Maitland, he was the leading long jumper in in Australia this summer. On Saturday at the Country Championships, he continued that progression, not setting a PB, but recording an improved series of jumps with distances of 7.57m, 7.52m and 7.43m. All but his last jump was wind assisted. Liam’s 7.57m mark was the longest in the history of the Country Championships, erasing Nick Moroney’s meet record of 7.53m, set 20 years ago.

One of Australia’s leading jumps coaches, Max Debnam, who guided eight metre jumper Glenn Carroll, is a keen observer and help to Liam and his father/coach. Max rates Liam one of the most exciting emerging long jump talents he has seen in his 60 years of coaching.

The women were also most impressive. In the open, Bronte Carroll, fell just short of the meet record of 6.23m, reaching a wind-legal 6.20m. Recently she leapt a wind assisted 6.35m. In the under-20s Katie Gunn raised her PB from 6.13m to a World U20 championships qualifier of 6.21m. Most impressive was her series: 6.11 windy, 6.11m, 6.05m and 6.21m (0.9). Katie became the first Australian this summer to hit the world standard.

Also in World U20 Championships qualifying action, Mitchell Lightfoot slashed his PB down to 13.52 in the 110m hurdles, to clock yet another qualifier.

Young official Emma Blume
One of the youngest technical officials at the competition was Mingara club’s Emma Blume, who is just 14. She combines officiating with competing and was herself locked in a very close battle for places second to fifth in the under-16 javelin, coming out the best winning silver with her opening throw of 25.93m. Maybe she had an advantage watching all the top athletes up close as an official all weekend.

Why did Emma decide to start officiating?
“My family do a lot of events so I through I would keep busy while at track,” referring to her sister Melissa and mother Bella, who were competing at the country Championships.
Athletics is not the only sport she is involved as an official, as she is a hockey umpire.

Coach Ken Harradine
Leading Australian throws coach, Ken Harradine and his three-time Olympian son Benn are not just supporting the local Newcastle throwing fraternity, but have branched out to the Central West of NSW. Currently stuck overseas in Sweden, Benn initially started coaching around the Dubbo area, but Ken, now 80, has continued the great initiative by the Harradine family.
“The throwers come to Dubbo from Forbes, Coonabarabran etc and even as far as Cobar,” said Ken at the NSW Country Championships where he was coaching some of the squad. “Some also visit Newcastle for sessions. It is great to see them improve. I just wanted to put something back into the sport. It keeps me young”

They are seeing tremendous success.
“Three of the kids and leaders in NSW.”

Hayden Steele – keeps coming back
Competing at his first NSW Country championships in the late 1950s Wallsend thrower, Hayden Steele, 76, would have attended the meet on over 40 occasions since – an extraordinary achievement. In 1964 he won the junior (under-19) javelin with a handy throw of 49.02m and would compete nationally during his career. He has competed consecutively at all of the championships in the last three decades. On the weekend he won silver in the 70-79 years javelin with a throw of 21.71m. But Hayden, is more than just an athlete, he is a coach and administrator, who dedicates many hours to the sport.
We look forward to Hayden competing for many more years.