Windy wet conditions greeted athletes on Day 1 of the 2025 Country Championships. Despite the less-than-ideal conditions, Nowra kicked off in grand style with 32 events contested and 14 medals acquired.
Flynn Kelly jumped into the Championships with a National Qualifier, a Personal Best and a gold medal jump of 5.45m in the under 14 event whilst Wyatt Binney was 9th in the same event with 3.32m. In the girls event, Isla Bailie was jumping for joy as she took gold with a PB jump of 4.67m whilst Charli Keogh was 18th with 3.15m. In the under 16 event, Evie Binney was 6th with 4.14m.
Sam Keogh won the 40-49 years 80m hurdles in 14.60 and also won the 400m hurdles with a time of 1.17.49. In the field, Sam was 7th in hammer throw with 16.80m, 4th in high jump clearing 1.20m, and 3rd in long jump with a jump of 4.10m.
Jonah Watson took silver in the under 20 110m hurdles with 17.16 which was another National Qualifier time and claimed gold in the 400m hurdles in a new PB of 1.00.73.
Alisha Mustapic also took gold in her 400m hurdles event with a time of 1.11.41.
In the under 16 300m hurdles, Evie Binney took bronze in 51.78 whilst Elizabeth Davis was 7th in 1.00.56.
In the distance events, Lily Sproule won the under 17 3000m race in 10.55.92 whilst Macca Davis was 6th in the under 14 race in 11.05.75. Emerson Boatswain, competing for Shoalhaven Little Athletics at this year’s Championships, although an active member of Nowra Athletics Club too, finished 4th in the under 14 3000m in 12.33.54.
In the 5000m, Glen Mustapic was 5th in the 50-59 years race with a time of 24.24.25 followed closely by Mark O’Leary in 25.29.36. Daniel Wood had a good run for 9th in the Open race in 17.33.21.
In the shot put circle, Braxton Naylor won silver with his throw of 6.92m in the 10’s group whilst Lhiam Crook was 8th with 4.49m. Wyatt Binney threw 4.49m for 9th place in the under 14 group and Liam O’Leary recorded 6.70m for 5th in the under 15 event. Elizabeth Davis was 11th with 6.66m in the girls under 16 event and in the under 17’s Kadance Naylor took silver with 9.28m and Charli Binney was 7th with 6.36m. Kadance Naylor also added bronze to her medal tally for Day 1 with 17.40m in the hammer throw.
Competing for Shoalhaven Little Athletics Centre at this event, Nowra junior member Mason Beck was 6th in the 10’s shot put with 5.77m whilst Abby Beck took the bronze medal in the 12’s event with 7.63m.
In the masters shot put events, Steve Schott won silver in the 40-49 years group throwing 9.52m. Meanwhile, in the 50-59 years group, Scott McLaren was 7th with 7.92m and Mark O’Leary was 8th with 7.32m.
In the 11’s discus, Darcy Binney finished 12th with a throw of 13.08m.