Top Moments of NSW Athletics in January

Athletics in NSW has had a stellar start to 2021 with records falling and amazing performances across all distances and disciplines. Read below Athletics NSWs top ten moments for January 2021. 

Rohan Browning runs a windy 9.96 at the Illawarra Track Classic.

Rohan Browning has broken the 10 second barrier for the first time running a windy 9.96 (3.3+) at the Illawarra Track Classic. Browning is now the second Australian all-time to dip under the 10-second barrier electronically. Browning is now only second to national record holder Patrick Johnson who ran 9.93 in 2003.

"When you cross the line it is almost underwhelming, and when you hear that first syllable of 'nine-point' it feels like pure vindication," said Browning to Athletics NSWs David Tarbotton "It feels like six years of committing yourself to something."

Browning also found success in the 60m State Championships just an hour later clocking a legal 6.55 seconds, an Australian best (outdoors) and now sits as the fourth fastest on the world all-time list. 

Rose Davies catapults herself to #7 all-time winning Zatopek:10 2020

21-year-old Rose Davies has catapulted herself to #7 Australian All-Time in just her second race over 10,000m. Winning in 31:39.97 with a 65-second last lap Davies beat one of the strongest lineups in recent memory featuring Genevive Gregson, Andrea Seccafein, Ellie Pashley, Sinead Diver and Izzy Batt-Doyle. 

Davies spoke to Athletics Australia reflecting on the race, "It slowed a little bit in the second half, which allowed me to gather myself and get ready for a kick. We've been doing sprints every week, so I'll have to put it down to that." 

In a 1 minute 45.55 second personal best Davies now has some impressive statistics to her name; the second-fastest time by an Australian in Australia, fifth-fastest time at Zatopek and the second-fastest time on Australian soil in the last ten years. Fifteen seconds outside of the Olympic Qualifying standard with aspirations initially for the 5,000m, the 10,000m is now a real possibility. 

"I definitely think Tokyo is possible." 

Charlie Hunter breaks indoor mile record.

Charlie Hunter has had a record-breaking weekend in Arkansas setting a world best in the Distance Medley Relay with his Oregon teammates and running a 3:54.54 mile 24 hours later to beat Mark Fountain's Australian indoor 2005 record by 0.23 seconds. 

The Oregon team took five seconds off the previous NCAA DMR record clocking 9:19.42 and setting the all-time world best in the event of 9:19.93 previously held by Team USA. Charlie ran the 800m leg of the DMR in 1:47.65 just outside Peter Bols National 800m indoor record of 1:47.27.

Blundell sets a massive PB at the Hunter Track Challenge. 

Rio Olympic 1500m representative and Sydney University Athlete Jenny Blundell set a massive 12 second PB over the 3000m at the Fearnley Dawes Athletic Centre to kick off her 2021 campaign. Blundell outran the mixed field in 8:56.17 to run the 2nd fastest 3000m by an Australian this season, second only to Australian mile record holder Linden Hall. 

With Blundell looking strong over the 3000m in the Hunter she is sure to be a challenger in the upcoming 5000m NSW Championships this February. 

Monique Quirk #2 all-time 60m

Campbelltown's Monique Quirk beat out three-time NSW 60m Champion Abbie Taddeo in the Open NSW 60m Championship at the Illawarra Track Classic in 7.28 seconds. A time that has only been bettered by Sally Pearson. 19-year-old Quirk has had a successful start to 2021 also setting new legal PBs in the 100m (11.51) and the 200m 23.48 at last weekend's Mingara Interclub.

Lauren Reid sets the ParkRun World Record.

Lauren Reid of Delta Running Project has etched her name into the history books once again, this time as a world record holder over the ParkRun 5k. Paced by City2Surf 2019 champion Harry Summers Lauren produced a phenomenal run of 15:44 at Parramatta edging out previous ParkRun record holder Charlotte Arters 15:49 set in Cardiff, England in February 2020.

Entered in the NSW 5000m Championships with Kate Spencer, Jenny Blundell, Paige Campbell and Leanne Pompeani her form over January will surely put her in medal contention against one of the best NSW lineups in recent memory.

Sara Klein wins 400mH at Zatopek10

NSW athletes of all distances and disciplines were out in force at the Zatopek:10. Asics Wests Sara Klein took out the only NSW victory of the night in 57.03 over the 400mH.

Sydney University's Lachlan Raper has demonstrated he is back in his World Junior form running a new 800m PB in 1:49.07 to finish in second behind three-time Olympian Jeff Riseley. Raper is showing he can now consistently be a sub 1:50 athlete dipping under the barrier in all three races over the 2020/21 season. 

Second place in both the U20 3000m was taken out by NSW Athletes. Randwick Botanys Drew Fryer was second in the U20 De Castella 3000m Championship in 8:21.27, beating out RunCrews Daniel Kelly (11th) and Trinity Grammar Schools Ben Bishop (Lindsay Watson)  (13th). Whilst Sarah Schiffmann (Scott Wescott)  ran 9:35.27 ahead of Georgie Purcell (Darren Purcell) in 9:55.67 (6th) in the Ondieki 3000m.    

In the Men's 10,000m championship Ed Goddard was outstanding in a 21 second PB of 28:23.93, getting edged out by two time Olympian David McNeill, in an exciting battle for the bronze medal. RunCrews Tom Do Canto was with the leading pack for most of the race to finish 6th with a massive 1 minute PB in 28:35.69 whilst Kieren Tall rounded out the NSW trio to finish 8th in 29:03.69. 

Alex Kolesnikoff sets NSW Record In Shot Put At Mingara Interclub.

20-year-old Alexander Kolesnikoff has set a NSW record in the shot put with a distance of 19.51m taking the national lead from Australian record holder Damien Birkenhead. Alexander showed consistency on the weekend, launching the shot over nineteen meters in two of his other throws. This record puts Alexander now at number 7 All-time Australian, with the performance, only bettered recently by Damien Birkenhead. 

Speaking to Athletics NSWs David Tarbotton after the performance, he said: "Today was more about getting a competition under my belt in the leadup to nationals."

OzDay 10k road race.

The annual OzDay10k took place in one of Sydney's most iconic spots as wheelchair athletes raced around The Rocks for its 32nd year. Jake Lappin took out line honours in 22:52 over Newcastle's Luke Bailey in 24:25 and Rheed McCraken in 25:31. Bailey has shown he is strong in all distances recently coming close to the 100m world record on his home track at the Hunter Track Challenge. Cormac Ryan took out the junior division of the event in 29:38.

In the women's race, Western Australia’s Madison De Rozario was too strong taking out her fifth consecutive win over ACT’s Eliza Ault-Connell and Christie Dawes in 24:31 which was the third-fastest time on the day. 

Will Austin-Cray & Kate Spencer win the state mile titles.

On debut for Bankstown Sports Athletics Will Austin-Cray proved too strong in the men's mile state championship taking out the title in 4:06.19 over RunCrews Jared West in a PB of 4:06.49 and Randwick Botany Harriers Richard Newell in 4:07.18. 

Newell was looking for a sub-4-minute mile with help from coach Jeremy Roff, going through the first 1200 on pace he couldn't hold off the huge kick from Will Austin-Cray over the last 300m. 

Kate Spencer of UTS took out the women's mile championship in 4:35.90 over her Central Track Performance teammate Izzy Thornton Bott. Junior Imogen Stewart of Illawong Revesby Workers put together another impressive run to set another NSW junior record bettering her mark by almost two seconds in 4:38.15.

Image: Rohan Browning at the Illawarra Track Challenge with Illawarra Blue Stars Valmai Loomes