The Track and Field season might be coming to an end, but it’s certainly not going to fade out quietly! It was a weekend of hot competition and great results for Australian athletes, including many homegrown athletes from Nowra Athletics Club.
The Canberra Track Classic was held on Thursday night 11th March 2021. The Canberra Track Classic was the second event of the 2021 Summer Super Series and was a World Athletics Continental Tour Bronze Meet. To compete in the Track Classic meets, athletes need to nominate and be accepted by Athletics Australia. Cam Musgrove was accepted to compete in the 800m B Race conducted at the AIS Track. The weather wasn’t favourable with light rain during the early evening, and then as the athletes lined up to start the 800m, the heavens opened up! Cam ran a great race in the pouring rain, coming in just shy of his PB set last week at State Opens, clocking 1.52.75 for 5th place.
In the men’s 800m A race, after all the rain had disappeared, Peter Bol came agonisingly close to the Olympic qualifier of 1.45.20 when he ran 1:45.23. The Canberra Track Classic also saw a world record set by Jaryd Clifford when he clocked 3:41.34 in the 1500m as he placed third behind former Nowra Athletics Club member Jye Edwards who won the race in fantastic style in 3:37.30. It was a great night of athletics!
In Sydney the 2021 NSW Junior Championships were held with great results from sixteen Nowra athletes. Leading the charge was Max Marshall who won gold in the U14 200m in 25.99, which interestingly was just marginally slower than his heat time of 25.69 which brought him into the finals as the fastest qualifier. Max ran a great race, confidently taking the win. In the 100m Max qualified as second fastest in 12.39 and went on to win silver in what was a super-close race. Yahya Ali from Ryde took the win in 12.30, Max was second in 12.31 and Andres Hampel from UTS North was third in 12.32.
In the Ambulant events Kynan Miller won himself gold in the U15 discus with his throw of 14.26m, and took silver in shot put with 3.70m. Kynan also contested the 100m, taking silver in a time of 21.24. Akala Miller was successful in the U17 events, taking silver in the 100m in a time of 15.43 and silver in the 200m with 35.71. Akala was also 4th in long jump with her jump of 2.63m.
In the field, Joshua Furze jumped to a bronze medal in the U20 high jump after impressively clearing the bar at 1.85m. Joshua also took bronze in discus with his throw of 43.80m and was 7th in javelin, spearing 44.99m.
Reilly Caswell finished 1st in his heat of the U15 400m in a time of 54.02 which took him through to the final as the fastest qualifier. In the final Reilly ran a superb race, earning an amazing PB of 52.95 for the bronze medal. Second place was taken by Callum Grantham from Newington who spectacularly dived over the line, clocking 52.88, just pipping Reilly.
Ella Dyball made a return to the steeplechase event after an extended absence and was rewarded with a bronze medal after finishing 3rd in 8.12.00 in the U18 event.
Will Dyball demonstrated his toughness with a 4 second PB and a National Qualifier time of 4.07.32 for 4th place in the U17 1500m. Will also backed up on Sunday with a 4th place in the 800m in 2.00.05.
Cooper Barrett contested the U16 steeplechase and finished with a massive 12 second PB for 5th place in 7.12.19. Meanwhile Taj Barrett, managed a fantastic 6th place from a pool of 16 competitors in U14 discus, throwing 33.31m.
Talea Miller had a great competition, earning 4th place in U16 hammer with a throw of 21.07m and 7th in discus with 30.44m.
Back on the track, Darcy Davis had a solid run in the U15 1500m, clocking 5.03.62 for 20th place. Harrison Baxter competed in his first ever Juniors competition and ran in 9th in the U16 3000m, in a time of 10.25.61.
Tom Duncan continues to build on his racing experience and finished 6th in his heat of the U15 400m, clocking 58.99 and then backed up in the 800m with 8th place in 2.15.46.
Hamish McLaren spread his attention across a variety of events, finishing 9th in his heat of the U15 100m with 14.67, and 12th in the 800m with 2.36.68. Hamish also demonstrated great resilience in the 2000m steeplechase, placing 4th in 7.41.73.
Emily McLaren also contested the 100m, running in 9th in her heat in the U14 event with 14.82. In the 800m Emily finished a strongly for 3rd place in 2.37.75.
Charlie Heidke ran two strong sprint races amongst a highly competitive field of U16 athletes. Charlie crossed in 12.28 for 8th place in his 100m heat and was 6th in the 200m in 26.09.
Congratulations to all our athletes, for their performances on the track and in the field, and for their sportsmanship and positive attitudes.