2024 NSW Open and Youth Championships were held at SOPAC from March 14th to 17th, 2024. Nowra was represented by 4 open category athletes and 15 juniors in the youth championships.
On Thursday night, Amelia May contested the open women’s 1500m and had a solid qualifying run in the heat with a time of 4.39.42. In the final on Saturday, Amelia was 6th in 4.36.25, a great result as Amelia builds back her fitness and form after an injury side-lined her for months. 
Will Dyball contested the 1500m and clocked 4.03.76 for 22nd place overall from a large field of 45 runners. Will also competed in the 800m where he ran well in his heat to qualify for the final in 1.54.70. 
Toby Dyball competed in the open 800m, taking on heat 1 of 5 heats and was 33rd in 2.07.01.
Masters runner Erin Smart competed in the Open 400m where she had a good sub-minute run of 59.48 for 19th place from 30 competitors whilst in the 200m, Erin was 29th overall from 40 athletes with 26.06.
In the Youth Championships, our youngest members had great success. Addison Galloway claimed 2 silver medals with 2nd place in the Under 9 100m with 15.78 and in the long jump with a jump of 3.27m. In the 200m, Addison took bronze in 33.47 whilst in the discus, a throw of 12.00m earned her 7th place.
Mila Bozikov also contested the Under 9 events and was 4th in the 100m with 16.51 and 9th in long jump with 3.18m. Skylah Reilly was another Under 9 athlete, running in 11th in the 100m with 19.43 and 13th in long jump with 2.36m. In the boys events, Atlas Bailie was 10th in the Under 9 100m with 17.92 and ran a PB of 36.52 for 13th place in the 200m.
Riley Sandstrom threw 38.17m for the silver medal in the Under 11 discus and ran a massive PB of 1.06.05 for 7th place in the 400m. In the 100m Riley qualified for the final after a heat run of 14.62, and finished 7th in the final with a slightly quicker time of 14.49. Riley also jumped 4.08m for 6th place in long jump.
Kai Thirwall had a good run in the Under 11 200m for 12th place in 31.91 and was 7th in the 1500m with 5.21.22. Thor Jackson competed in the Under 11 200m and was just one place behind Kai with 33.74. In the 400m, Thor was 14th in 1.15.30 and in shot put Thor was 5th with 7.23m.
Willow Dwyer was 11th in the Under 11 100m, clocking 14.91. Evalyn Norris ran 14.76 in the Under 11 100m heat and was 9th in the final with 14.57. Evalyn also made the 200m final with a qualifying run of 29.45 and finished 6th in the final with 29.46. In the 400m, Evalyn was 4th with a time of 1.04.74.
Nowra’s Hollie Braddick qualified for the Under 12 100m final with a confident heat run of 13.50. Hollie went on to take the silver medal in the final with a time of 13.47.
Isla Bailie had a great competition, earning PB’s in both the Under 12 100m and 200m. In the 100m, Isla clocked 14.14 putting her through to the final where she placed 6th in 14.23. In the 200m, Isla ran another PB, clocking 29.90 and missed out on the final by just 16 milliseconds. Isla cleared the bar at 1.25m for 4th place in high jump and was 14th in long jump with 3.38m.
Emerson Boatswain was 9th in the Under 12 800m with 2.46.03 and in the field, Emerson was 6th in javelin with a throw of 18.17m and 9th in discus with 19.39m.
Macarthur Davis was 11th in the Under 12 800m with a 4 second PB of 2.27.69. In the Under 12 sprints Phillip Ansah and Orlando Bailie both represented Nowra. Phillip was 12th in the 100m with 13.74 and 16th in the 200m with 29.23. Orlando finished 19th overall in the 100m with 14.70 whilst in the 200m, he was also 19th with a time of 30.54.
Congratulations to all the athletes who competed.