Sydney Track Classic: Stevens returns and new event for Blundell

Published Sun 14 Mar 2021

Sydney Track Classic: Stevens returns and new event for Blundell

With perfect conditions on offer, the athletes delivered on a high quality night of athletics at the 2021 Sydney Track Classic, part of the Coles Summer Super Series. There were World, Oceania and Australian records, along with Olympic qualifiers. But for NSW supporters the successful return of Dani Stevens and confirmation of a new event for Jenny Blundell were the highlights.

Women 5000m

Not tipped to feature in the medals, when Jenny Blundell (SYU) was asked if she thought she could win it was an emphatic ‘I did‘.

With her eyes fixed on the victory, Blundell set sail for the finish line over the last 200m. She had to break free of a pack of four, and she did, but the effort was taxing and she was starting to lose momentum over the last 50m. Out of the corner of her eye she watched an athlete emerge and pass her, but must have been relieved to realise it was visiting Canadian Andrea Seccafien who would take line honours, but not the prized national title.

“It felt like a 1500m just in the last 200m, so I’m pretty leg less,” said Blundell not able to stand for a post race interview.

With a few laps to go it had been anyone’s race with a large pack still together.

“I was getting excited. It was pretty cool to be with so many with a few laps to go.”

Blundell’s time of 15:25.84, was five seconds outside her PB as she just finished ahead of SA’s Izzy Batt-Doyle and Queensland’s Ryan Gregson.

Although hampered by injury over the last few years since she was an Olympic 1500m semi-finalists in Rio, a close examination of Blundell’s performances over the last year reveal, she certainly had shown this type of potential over the longer distance. In last year’s race, she was third Australian, behind Jessica Hull’s dominating win.

Women Discus

A year ago after a gym accident, the athletics career of Dani Stevens (WES) was certainly in a grim place.

“It’s been really hard and really frustrating, but I’m out the other-side now,” said Stevens after a very successful return to competition, winning with a throw of 63.36m.

“It feels like that time was a bad dream, but it was so worth taking the time to do it properly and recover with normal function back, then to comeback and throw just short of Olympic qualifying is pretty good when I think about it.”

Her very first warm-up throw must have been a relief that she could return to her best form. One landing at 65 metres.

“My last two warmups felt better than any of my competition throws. I am quite rusty so I really needed a bit of comp practice. That is why I made myself compete here as I was only planning to start at the Brisbane Track Classic. But I thought throw yourself in the deep end and be ready to throw.”

But she was somewhat prepared for how she was going to throw.

“I didn’t want to throw unless I could throw 60m. Training is so different, even if you do mock competitions you try and mimic competition but nothing is like competition, the adrenaline, the girls.”

After the competition she was bubbling with excitement.

“We were all just saying we are so excited to be back out competing.”

Women’s 100m hurdles

Gold Coast-based Liz Clay (SYU) dominated a strong field to win in a quick 12.88 seconds, just outside another Olympic qualifier.

“I just wanted to come out and get the win tonight. I haven’t raced in a month,” said Clay sporting cuts and abrasions.

“I had a huge fall on Monday, hitting my head on the ground. I was probably overdue (for a fall), I was running so fast. A good problem to have.

“It is part of hurdling and I haven’t had one in ages.”

Was her confidence dinted?

“Not that one. I only fell because I was going so fast. It is a good problem to have.”

She was happy with her performance on the night.

“My goal was to nail the start and get to the end clean which is exactly what I did. It was one of my best starts in a race, so I’m very happy with that.”

Former NSW athlete, now based in Queensland, Hannah Jones placed second in another PB of 13.01 seconds, which moved her from number nine to seven Australian all-time. Third place was recently crown NSW champion, Abbie Taddeo (ILL), who just missed her recent PB, clocking 13.06 on the night.

Men’s 800m

NSW athletes were competitive amongst a high quality men’s 800m field, including 16-year-old Charlie Jeffreson (KIG) who broke the NSW under-18 800m record clocking 1:47.93 to place fifth in the field.

“I went out hard and was more controlled,” he said. “The plan was to go through the first lap faster as I’ve been holding back a little.”

He now holds the NSW under-16 and 18 records.

Other NSW highlights

Newcastle’s Ashlyn Blackstock was just short of her PB in the discus, but had arguably her best competition with excellent consistency where three throws were over the World U20 Championships standard of 49.00m, topped by her opening mark of 49.79m.
Running his second consecutive 200m PB, Joshua Azzopardi (CAM) won the 200m in a breakthrough time of 20.95 seconds. He started the summer with a best of 21.26.
Nick Hough (SYU) won his second race in two days over recently crowned NSW champion Nick Andrews (CHE) 13.61 to 13.66. For Andrews it was a 0.1 seconds PB and elevated him from number 11 to number 6 Australian All-time. Rosemary Little achieving a Paralympic B qualifier of 6.10m in the F32 Shot. She remains just 1cm short of an A qualifier.
Bendere Oboya’s (UTN) 300m winning time of 36.71 was the fourth fastest in Australian history.
Other notable NSW PB’s were Bronte Carroll 200m 23.61, Alec Diamond 110m hurdles 14.58, Alysha Burnett Shot 14.41m, Sally Shokry Shot 13.95m, Julie Charlton F57 Shot 6.11m and Matt Hudson 5000m 13:54.48.