The first of Athletics NSW Winter competitions was held on Sunday 19th July 2020 with NSW Short Course Cross Country Championships at Dapto.
Seventeen of Nowra Athletics Club members competed in the event, testing their ability over the Kembla Joggers home track after a four-month break from competition. Did you know, the forced break, due to Covid-19 is the longest break in athletics competitions in NSW in 75 years, since World War II?
The break, however, seems to have been of benefit to superstars Erin Smart and Peter Dooley who both took out their respective races.
Erin won the 35-39 years 5 km event in a time of 20.58. Second place was not too far behind, crossing in 21.13 with third close on their heels in 21.44, but Erin stayed strong ‘through the hurt’ to take victory; “nearly killed me” Erin exclaimed! Meanwhile Peter Dooley won the 60+ event, clocking 15.45 over the 4 km distance. It was another close finish with Hills District athlete Peter Byrne just marginally behind Peter, crossing in 15.51 whilst third place Ross McMillan from Sutherland was third in 16.31. Congratulations to both Erin and Peter on their gold winning performances.
In the junior events there was understandably some nervous energy because athletes hadn’t raced in so long however they all did their best out on the course and the Club gives them a huge round of applause.
Tynan Caswell competed in the Under 12 2km event finishing 17th in 8.17 and Anna Duncan finished 22nd in the female Under 12 event clocking 8.06.
In the Under 13 event Jett Goddard placed 12th in 7.09, whilst in the female race Emily McLaren was 16th with 7.52 and Kalani Hay was 25th in 8.52.
There were four Nowra runners in the Under 14 race; Tom Duncan was 15th in 6.50, Reilly Caswell was 19th in 6.55, Hamish McLaren placed 29th in 7.35 and Toby Dyball was 30th in 7.45.
Dakota Farn represented Nowra in the 3 km Under 15 event, placing 24th in 14.03.
Will Dyball was 23rd in the Under 16 race, running 10.46 over the 3 km course.
Jake Pepper and Nash Hay paced each other throughout the 4 km race, with Jake taking 21st place in 14.43 and Nash 22nd place in 14.52.
Ella Dyball pushed herself for the entirety of the 3 km course for 19th place, crossing in a time of 12.58.
Representing Nowra in the 50+ event, Angela Bond ran strongly for 6th place, clocking 20.41 over 4 km.
Congratulations to all our athletes.
The next Athletics NSW event on the calendar is NSW XC Championships at Willandra on August 8th. Athletes are reminded that there is a limit of 500 participants including athletes, staff and other persons at any one time at the venue and entries must be completed on line before the event. Entries close Wednesday 5th August. However if capacity numbers are reached before then, entries will close early, so don’t miss out and enter early!