World U20 Team Profile: Delta Amidzovski, Erin Shaw and Nicola Hogg

13 July 2022

World U20 Team Profile: Delta Amidzovski, Erin Shaw and Nicola Hogg

Today’s junior profiles, in the leadup to the World U20 Championships, are distance runner Nicola Hogg, high jumper Erin Shaw and hurdler Delta Amidzovski.

DELTA AMIDZOVSKI – 100m Hurdles

Delta Amidzovski’s selection in the Australian team for the World U20 Championships in the 100m hurdles, rather than long jump was a little surprising, as she had leapt an extraordinary 6.25m in the long jump and needed to graduate from 90m to 100m hurdles. But she adapted quickly to the new hurdle specifications, winning the National junior title and securing her selection for the World U20 Championships. At 15, she will be the youngest member of the Australian team in Cali, Columbia.

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Many athletes start their journey in track and field very young, but Delta started at just age 3, in Tiny Tots at Albion Park Little Athletics – “because I was a very energetic kid who was always running and climbing”.

At her first Little Athletics State Championships, in under-9s, she won the hurdles, and the next year long jump and hurdles. Over the ensuring years she continued to compete very successfully in these two events, plus sprints and high jump.

Over the summer of 2020/21, now aged 14, Delta recorded some incredible PBs, 100m 12.11, long jump 6.25m and high jump 1.78m. In the sprint hurdles she was still competing over 90m.

At the start of the 2021/22 season, now just 15, it was looking like Delta would first wear the green and gold in the long jump and maybe relay, as she was still competing in lower height hurdles and over 90m. But like many hurdlers she was starting to train over the specifications for the next age group.

“I had only just started on the 100m hurdles 76cm height and was running under the qualifying time at training sessions,” she recalled. ”I spoke to my coach/mum and believed that I could possibly get the qualifier for World U20s. My first race over the 84cm hurdles was in Canberra with a time of 14.50 seconds (Jan 16), my second race was 13.93 - my first time under the qualifying standard.”

Her third and fourth races were in the under-20 100m hurdles at 2022 Nationals where she won in another PB time of 13.78 seconds, securing automatic selection for the World U20 Championships. Also at Nationals she won gold in the under-17 100m hurdles, long jump and 4x100m relay.

What does Delta enjoy about competing?

“For me I love that it’s the perfect mix of nerves and accomplishments. Competing is why any athlete trains and that’s when all the hard work and dedication put in to training pays off.”

Other sports: representative touch football…Biggest challenge: coming back into the sport from major injury…Most influential person: My mum as she has been there from day one and always there to support and keep me on the right path…Advice to your young self: Don’t change who you are to meet other people’s expectations…Hobbies: Skateboarding, reading, the beach, hanging with family and friends…Education: Year 10 at Corpus Christi Catholic High School…Nickname: Dawn.

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ERIN SHAW – High Jump

Overcoming a broken wrist and a sprained ankle just weeks before the Australian Championships, Erin Shaw was still able to defend her National U20 high jump title in 2022 securing automatic selection for the World U20 Championships.

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Erin Shaw’s start in athletes was at the encouragement of a primary school teacher when she was aged 9 after she had competed at some school events.

Growing up Erin also participated in other sports socially and at school - basketball, netball and touch football. She enjoyed a part time job teaching kids to swim as well as being a surf life saver at a local beach. Erin was a talented swimmer, breaking school records, but chose to concentre on athletics competitively.

After spending two years at a school in Germany (years 6 & 7), back in Australia in year 8 she started high jumping again and by age 15 was already hitting big heights, clearing 1.77m. Negotiating the lost time, when COVID cancelled competitions, aged 16 Erin continued to improve, reaching 1.84m and winning the National U20 title in March 2021. This result earned her selection in the Australia U20 team that did not travel to the World U20 Championships due to COVID.

In 2022, a year when she was sitting her HSC year, Erin started well with early season clearances of 1.82m, then 1.83m. But then she had two major setbacks.

“Four weeks before nationals I broke my wrist and two weeks out, I badly rolled my ankle making the lead up rough, but I was still able to finish with a win, and automatic selection into the World U20 team.”

In June 2022, Erin continued her progression, clearing 1.85m at the Oceania Championships.

Education: in 2022 Year 12 at Roseville College…Biggest influence: an early school teacher that encouraged her; more recently her coach Jack McArdle. “He has taken my love of high jump to a competitive level. He is a great mentor as well as a great coach. I have also been very fortunate to have been given opportunities at all levels to be involved in specialist training with various people and other great athletes who I inspire to be like… Advice to your young self: “Back yourself and enjoy what you do.”…Interesting facts: Speaks German, lived there for two years and will complete German in the HSC.

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NICOLA HOGG – 1500m & 3000m

Despite a late start to the 2022 season, and graduating from a focus of 800/1500m to 1500/3000m, Nicola Hogg earned places in two events for the World U20 Championships. The National U20 1500m, which doubled as the selection trial, was a highly competitive race, which Nicola clocked a PB 4:15.13 as she placed second. Then added another silver in the 3000m to secure selection in both events for her Australian team debut.

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Nicola Hogg was an endurance athlete from the start when she ran cross country and middle distance aged 8 at school. “From here I discovered not only my love for the sport, but also my fierce desire to win. At age 10, I qualified for my first nationals in Brisbane and my running seemed to perpetuate from there.”

Her journey over the next decade was in national schools, club and little athletics events, whilst also participating in a variety of other sports.

Nicola was very successful as a junior. A month after her 13th birthday she won the Australian schools 800/1500m double in impressive times of 2:11.07/4:28.34. There were ups and downs as she gradually improved her PBs.

In 2021 she earned selection in the Australian junior team after placing second in the National junior 1500m. Just prior to the Nationals she had run a sensational PB of 4:18.85. Also at Nationals she was third in the 800m in a lifetime best of 2:06.79.

She was focused again in 2022 on making the Australian team. but she left it until very late, starting her campaign in February.

“Last season kicked off with a bumpy start. It took me a few months to achieve racing condition, however in my 1500m debut race at the NSW Opens Championships I set a PB and achieved a World Junior qualifier. I continued to do so at each following 1500m event until nationals, where I placed second in both 1500m and 3000m.“

The women’s U20 1500m Australian Championship was a highly competitive event with 15 athletics achieving the World U20 standard either prior to or during that race. Nicola knew she had to be top-2 to earn selection. She ran a great race to record a three seconds PB time of 4:15.13 and place second. Two days later, the U20 3000m was nearly as competitive, but again Nicola was decisive, claiming a clear second place.

She was selected in both events for the World U20 Championships in Cali Columbia.

Nicola is inspired by some athletes she assist.

“As a volunteer at Achilles Sydney, I idolise the athletes who, despite their visual impairments, have the courage to race competitively. They teach me to make the most of every opportunity despite the challenges you may face.”

Competing: “I like putting my hard work into practice and see what I can do. I find this is where the greatest rewards are reaped”… Biggest challenge: “Finding out I had pericarditis was particularly challenging as I didn’t know how it would affect my running. This caused unnecessary stress and uncertainty on the return to training and competition.” …Most influential person: The last words of my primary school sports teacher before any race were always: “as long as you try your best girls, no matter the outcome, you will still learn”. Her mantra has stuck with me to this day… Advice to your young self: What you would call a bad race is probably someone else’s dream. Be grateful for every small win…Hobbies: Socialising, seeking new experiences/ travelling, reading non-fiction and wearing my sister’s clothes…Other Sports: Hockey (CIS level) and sports aerobics (state level).

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW
Image: Erin Shaw (image courtesy of David Tarbotton)