Nowra Athletics Club was represented by 18 athletes at the NSW Junior Athletics Championships over the weekend of 8th-10th March 2024, amongst nearly 1500 athletes.
The honour of NSW Champion went not once, not twice, not three times, but four times to Nowra athletes!
Nic McGill kickstarted the Championships for Nowra with his win in the Under 17 3000m. Nic executed the race with confidence to clock a 13 second PB of 8.46.44. Nic finished well ahead of 2nd place Kyle Mason and celebrated as he crossed the line in pole position. On Sunday Nic backed up to race his preferred event with the 2000m steeplechase and once again ran a superbly controlled race. Nic led from the start and was crowned NSW champion with a finish time of 6.04.35, which was a 9 second PB.
Alisha Mustapic contested the Under 18 400m hurdles where her strength on the back straight put her in a good position. She held her form around the 200m bend and hit the top of the straight in 2nd position. From this point, Alisha dug deep and drew strength from her training to push past her opponent Olivia Bloem in the final stages to take the win in 1.05.80. Another Nowra athlete celebration across the line was well deserved!
Kashava-Lee Essex was also awarded State champion when she took the win in the Under 15 200m para event with a time of 37.58, which was just milliseconds off her PB.
Pocket-rocket Evie Binney earned herself a state podium medal with 3rd place in the Under 15 2000m steeplechase with a fantastic time of 7.52.76. Evie’s strength and determination is certainly not measured by her small stature!
In the Under 400m Airlie Stevens ran a strong heat to finish 8th fastest overall. Airlie’s PB run of 1.03.70 qualified her for the State final. In the final, Airlie had another good run to clock 1.04.18 for 8th place in NSW.
In the middle-distance events, Nowra was well represented. In the Under 16 1500m, Cameron Baxter was 13th in 4.33.00 whilst Oliver Baxter was 15th in the Under 18 event with a time of 4.16.17. In the Under 20 event, Will Dyball was 6th in 4.04.64 and Harrison Baxter was 14th in 4.12.31. In the women’s Under 20 race, Amelia May was 5th in 4.37.61. Hugh Thirwall ran well in the Under 14 1500m, despite a persistent foot injury, and finished 8th in 4.42.77. Airlie Stevens backed up in the Under 14 1500m, just 30 minutes after racing her 400m final. Despite being fatigued, Airlie toughed it out to finish in 10th place in 5.26.12.
In the 800m, Hugh Thirwall was 14th in the Under 14 event with 2.21.67 whilst Emily McLaren was 13th in the girls Under 17 race with 2.31.79. In the Under 18 event Toby Dyball ran a strong race to finish 5th in 2.02.44 and Darcy Davis finished 13th in 2.06.15 in the same event. Will Dyball contested the highly competitive Under 20 event and ran very well to clock 1.54.02 for 4th place.
The 200m hurdle events saw Harry Thomson finish 7th in the Under 15 race in a time of 30.67. Meanwhile in the Under 18 400m hurdles, Tom Brookes was 7th in 1.01.63 which was enough to sneak in under the National qualifying standards, and Jonah Watson was 9th in 1.02.86.
Hamish McLaren finished 6th in the Under 18 2000m steeplechase with a time of 6.36.23, which brought him under the Australian Championships entry standard of 6.40.00 for this event, earning himself a place at Nationals in April.
Over 3000m, Cameron Baxter finished just outside of his PB, clocking 10.05.39 in 11th place. Oliver Baxter ran a PB of 9.12.60 in the Under 18 event, finishing 15th whilst Harrison Baxter also ran a new PB, finishing in 9.02.17 for 9th place in the Under 20 race.
Nowra certainly shone at this year’s Junior Championships and the Club congratulates everyone on their performances.