Stories from the 79th NSW Country Championships

21 January 2024

Stories from the 79th NSW Country Championships

It was another tremendous edition of the NSW Country Championships over the weekend conducted at Kerryn McCann Athletics Centre in Wollongong. With over 800 entries it was one of the largest ever championships. There were personal bests, championship records and athletes winning a bag full of medals, competing in a family friendly environment. Behind those achievement were some great stories, here are a few.

High Jump star Glenn Morante returns to competition in Masters with family in tow

In the leadup to the Sydney Olympics Glenn Morante twice finished on the podium in the high jump at the Australian Championships - second in 1998 and third in 2000. He also cleared a PB of 2.18m to put him in the mix for National team selection.

Two decades on he returned to athletics.

“It’s my third year back in the sport and the reason I returned was my son expressed an interest and he had performed okay in the high jump at school,” Morante said.

“At these championships we have three generations competing, my mother who is 79, myself and my sister and my son - which is wonderful thing.”

Team-Morante enjoyed a successful campaign with all claiming at least one podium finish. Glenn, in the 50+ years masters age, certainly hasn’t lost it in the high jump winning with a record-breaking height of 1.66m. He also won medals in the shot and javelin. His son, Ethan, was second in the under-16 high jump clearing 1.55m. His sister, Cheryl Harrison was second in the steeplechase and fifth in the hammer throw. And his mum, Carol McCord won the 75+ years 100m and long jump. An impressive seven medal haul for the family.

These days Glenn is more into coaching than training, at the Raymond Terrace club, while living 100km north at Smiths Lake. He was originally from the Wollongong area, Shellharbour specifically, and competed for the Warilla Athletics Club. He sister and mother now compete for Athletics Wollongong.

Holahan breaks Holahan’s record

23-years after the women’s 40-49 Masters Hammer Throw record of 30.73m was set by Margaret Holahan, the record was finally broken this year, by her daughter Melissa Holahan who threw 38.89m.

For over three decades Wallsend’s Melissa Holahan has been competing at the Country Championships since she was in the under-9s.

“Growing up in the sport, I’d come along with my father and mum.”

Mum Margaret, who no longer competes these days after a should reconstruction, was a throwing specialist and

went to World Masters, while dad Neville also competed, his speciality endurance events. He was also a coach.

“I do this sport because I love it and I’ve never had a season off since I was aged two,” recalled Melissa Holahan.

Melissa has added the 40+ years record to her impressive 30+ years record of 47.31m set in 2015.

Emma Cotton runs in her family footsteps

Striding away to victory in the open women’s 400m was Newcastle’s Emma Cotton, defending her NSW Country Championships title she won last year in Dubbo. In the crowd supporting her were two family members, famous in NSW country athletes. Mum, Narelle Parr, won NSW and Australian open 800m titles in the ‘90s, clocking a brilliant PB of 2:03.89. Her aunt, Linda Garden (nee Parr) was also there to lend support. Linda still holds the women’s open 100m record of 11.3, set 49 years ago. Her career highlights were mainly in the long jump, where she won three National titles and made the finals at the 1982 Commonwealth Games and 1984 Olympics. Five decades later Linda remains the 14th best long jumper in Australian history with her best of 6.62m.

More steeplechase achievements for Nick McGill

The country championships in Wollongong were nearly a home event for Nowra’s Nick McGill. Mid-way through his season, and competing in his the first major race post-Christmas, was an opportunity to reflect on his breakthrough season and look ahead to the remained of his 2023/24 campaign.

On Friday in Wollongong he kicked off the Country Championships with a highly competitive and tactical under-17 3000m race, placing second to Gosford’s Harrison McClusky, clocking 8:59.11. He had a busy Saturday, winning the 2000m steeplechase in a time of 6:14.67 – smashing the championship record by 20 seconds. Earlier in the day he won silver in the 1500m clocking 4:15.72. He closed his campaign on Sunday with second in the 800m.

He reflected on his historic win in the 2000m steeplechase in Perth in December at the Australian All Schools Championships. His strongest memory of the race revealed great maturity in his racing.

“On the last lap I was just so focused. I caught Victorian Jonathan Neethling (the leader) and tried not to get too excited as it was easy to think this is it.”

McGill did maintain his composure to the finish hitting the line in a sensational time of 5:55.38 to miss the championship record by a few tenths of a second, a mark held since 2002 by James Matthews, brother of Athletics NSW competition manager Andrew Matthews.

In the next few years McGill faces specification changes in the event. This year he has already graduated to the next height, the 91cm barriers, and in two years to 3000m. He is also thinking about how to improve in the event.

“I’m looking to run the steeplechase at Nationals, but also want to run a quick 3k. Speed in the 1500 and fitness in the 3k helps the steeple.”

Valmai Loomes – what an effort

At the championships many of you would have seen the announcement of the new trophy, the Gibb/Loomes Shield, for the winning club which recognises the combined 166 years volunteer service by Jan Gibb, Rod Gibb and Valmai Loomes.

Throughout the weekend, for 23 competition hours, with microphone in hand, we heard Valmai Loomes announcing, calling events and encouraging athletes. What an amazing job she did. Her passion and knowledge is incredible, but her effort in the heat was astounding. We are indeed lucky to have such a great volunteer in our sport as Valmai Loomes.

(FACT Valmai started as secretary of Illawarra Blue Stars in her teens, over 60 years ago !)

Thank you technical officials and volunteers

A 23-hour championship spread over two and a half days relies on a large band of technical officials and volunteers. A massive thank you to the Athletics NSW officials and the volunteers from Illawarra Blue Stars and Athletics Wollongong who ensured not only the success of the event, but it was just possible to conduct the event. We trust you enjoyed it too as we know volunteering can be a very rewarding experience. You not only get the best view of the competition, but also make new connections.

Some other notable performances:

• Central Coast’s Imogen Breslin jumped three places on the Australian all-time list, moving up to #16, with a PB in the open women’s 100m hurdles clocking 13.19 (0.2m/s).

• There were three World Under-20 Championships on the track during the three days. Newcastle’s Jemma Pollard continued to impress, winning the under-20 long sprint double in times of 23.94 (2.0m/s) and 54.86. It was a near half second PB for Pollard in the 200m. Local star, Delta Amidzovski, also set a qualifier of 13.38 (0.2) in the 100m hurdles, a lifetime best over the senior height hurdles.

• Wollongong physio, Rohan Laurendet made his debut at the Country Championships in stunning fashion with 53.16 in the open men’s 400m hurdles.

• 16-year-old Chelsy Wayne nailed a World Under-20 Championships qualifier in the discus with a brilliant 51.43m throw, just short of her own PB of 51.56m. It added over three metres to the meet record, held by training partner Ashlyn Blackstock. Chelsey also won the under-18 shot with a PB 14.44m

• Cowra’s Ky Garratt continues to dominate junior hammer throwing in NSW, with a winning distance of 60.68m in the under-18 event. He added over four metres to the championships record set 41 years ago. It was also further than his winning distance a month ago at the Australian All Schools in Perth.

• Easing back into competition after a fibular bone fracture, Temora’s Grace Krause broke the under-18 long jump by 1cm with an impressive 5.76m into a 1.3m/s wind. She also won the 100m in a windy 12.01.

• Macquarie Hunter Athletics masters athlete Stephen Hindmarsh was brilliant claiming an impressive treble in the 40+ age. His 100m time of 11.20w broke the championship record. He also won the 200m (23.18w) and long jump (6.02m).

• There was some tremendous hammer throwing by Temora’s Damian Wells with 57.16 to win the open event.

• Commonwealth Youth Games discus champion, George Wells is adapting to the increase in specifications in the under-20s, hitting 15.20m in the shot with the 6kg implement and 52.96m in the discus with the 1.75kg implement.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Feature Image: Glenn Morante family (articles images courtesy of David Tarbotton and Fred Etter)