The top SA athletes to watch at the Australian Track and Field championships
The Australian Track and Field Championships begins on March 26. From Olympic athletes to local stars, we’ve got the 35 SA athletes with the best shot at a medal.
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The 2022 Australian Track and Field Championships are right around the corner and South Australia registrations have closed for the March 26-April 3 event.
A state-record 221 athletes have registered to compete, marking the largest SA team to ever compete at the event in Sydney.
Star thrower Darcy Miller of Saints Athletics Club said the record number of SA athletes reflected the growth of athletics in the state.
“I think with better and more accessible facilities, athletics is becoming more popular in South Australia,” Miller said.
“It is really encouraging to see our wonderful code of sport growing and it will only continue to grow.
“Every year South Australia has the most supportive team at nationals and the fact we’re sending our biggest team ever means the support will only grow.”
Miller, who has been breaking discus and shot put records habitually in recent years, said he wanted to continue his dominant stretch at nationals.
“I have recently qualified for the world championships in Colombia throwing a 58.66m distance and I really want to replicate something like that at nationals,” he said.
“I also want to place top five in the open discus event.
“Competing against the best open discus throwers in the country will be hard but I think it’s achievable.”
A range of established athletes across multiple events will be joining Miller at nationals, as well as young athletes looking to put themselves on the map.
Ahead of the championships, we’ve listed the 15 athletes who are likely to take out a medal and a further 20 to keep an eye on.
See below for the full list of athletes in no particular order.
DARCY MILLER (discus, shot put)
Saints Athletics Club
Miller’s performance in recent years has been top-drawer and he has excelled in throwing events.
He has thrown a World U20 Athletics Championships discus qualifier this season and currently holds four state records in U20 discus, U18 discus, U16 discus and U18 shot put.
The star product out of Saints also ranks first in the country in U20 discus.
His events at the national championships will be open discus, U20 discus and U20 shot put and it would be a surprise if he did not land a medal.
MARLEY RAIKIWASA (discus, shot put)
Tea Tree Gully Athletics Centre
At just 16, Raikiwasa has thrown multiple World Athletics U20 Championships discus qualifiers during just this season.
Like Miller, she holds four state records in throwing – U20 Discus, U18 discus, U16 discus and U18 shot put.
In 2022 she has ranked no. 1 in Australia in U20 discus, U18 discus, U20 shot put and U18 shot put and is third in open discus across the country, a huge feat for someone so young.
Raikiwasa’s events will be the open discus, U20 discus, U18 discus and U18 shot put.
AIDAN MURPHY (sprinting)
Saints Athletics Club
Murphy’s fast rise to the top of track athletics has been well-documented in 2021 and 2022.
The star speedster now holds six state records in open 100m, U20 100m, open 200m, U20 200m, U18 200m, and U16 200m.
He also ranks first in the country in open and U20 200m, U20 100m, and is even second in an extended length of 400m.
Murphy will compete in the open 200m event at nationals and a win would be another boost toward his Commonwealth Games case for August.
ISOBEL BATT-DOYLE (long distance)
Flinders Athletics Club
Olympic athlete Batt-Doyle, 26, has become a household name in South Australia athletics.
She competed strongly in the Tokyo Olympics in the 5000m and ranks second in the 3000m and third in the 10,000m nationally.
Batt-Doyle also lays claim to three state records in open 3000m, 5000m and steeplechase.
She will run in the open 5000m at the championships.
MICHAEL ROEGER (T46 long distance)
Hills Districts Athletics Club
Four-time Paralympian Michael Roeger is set to star yet again at the national track and field championships.
The 33-year-old champion still holds world records in the open T46 1500m, 5000m, and the marathon.
Roeger is the hot favourite for the open 5000m event at nationals and should win the event barring any major surprise.
KEN FERRANTE-TANIKAWA (sprinting, pole vault, discus, javelin)
Saints Athletics Club
Ferrante-Takinawa is a jack of all trades and at just 12, is possibly the top young athletics talent in South Australia.
He had a colossal state track and field championships earlier this year, claiming 10 gold medals.
The young gun ranks first in the country in U14 90m hurdles, 200m, pole vault and javelin.
He will compete in the U14 100m, 90m hurdles, triple jump, pole vault, discus and javelin, with another gold medal haul a big possibility.
OLIVIA SANDERY (walking)
Pembroke Athletics Club
Star race walker Sandery burst onto the world stage just weeks ago, claiming a silver medal at the World Athletics Race Walking Team Championships in Oman.
She also has two state records in the U20 5000m and 10,000m walks.
The rising star will compete in the U20 10,000m walk at nationals and will look for a high finish to further her case for Commonwealth Games.
ANGUS HINCKSMAN (T38 sprinting)
Southern Athletics Club
Hincksman, who has cerebral palsy affecting his left arm and both of his legs, continues to perform at a high level in para events.
The 16-year-old T38 athlete has multiple national records under his belt, including the underage men’s 400m, 1500m, 5000m and shot put.
Hincksman will test himself in the men’s para 800m and 1500m, and is a solid chance at placing.
LACHLAN PAGE (discus)
Northern Districts Athletics Club
Ranking third in Australia in open discus, 24-year-old Page is one of the favourites for that event at the national track and field championships.
COURTNEY SMALLACOMBE (pole vault)
Western Athletics Club
Smallacombe has ranked second in Australia in open pole vault this season, and has shown development in the event throughout the athletics year.
In 2021, the 31-year-old recorded personal bests in SA interclub events, and should continue her run of strong performances at nationals this year.
JACK DOWNEY (pole vault)
Western Athletics Club
Competing in the men’s open pole vault, Downey seems set for another medal at national level.
The 20-year old has been a sensation in his event and is the reigning open pole vault national champion.
There would be no surprise if Downey defended his crown come March 26.
ANDREW MAENDA (sprinting)
Saints Athletics Club
U16 athlete Maenda currently ranks at no. 1 in national U16 100m and 60m events and is fourth in the U16 200m.
The young sprinter has also broken state records in the U14 100m and U16 4x100m relay events.
Maenda arrived in Australia from West Africa as a refugee almost two years ago and joined Saints Athletics Club through its inclusion program.
He has since exploded onto the scene and is looking to make a name for himself in the U16 100m and 200m events at nationals.
JORDAN MCMILLAN (sprinting)
Saints Athletics Club
17-year-old McMillan was a Bay Sheffield winner at just 14 years old and has since cemented her place as one of the state’s top young sprinters.
The talented runner has since run World U20 Athletics Championships in the 100m and 200m events and ranks third in the country in the U20 200m.
McMillan will race in the open 100m, 200m, U20 100m and U20 200m events at nationals, and is a big chance at multiple medals.
JACK NETTING (T/F35 sprinting, long jump)
Hills District Athletics Club
Netting, who has cerebral palsy, has been a dominant figure in South Australian para athletics in recent years.
He has broken multiple open and underage national T/F35 records in long jump, 100m and 200m, and will set out to match his high standards again at nationals in those three events.
TRYPHENA HEWETT (high jump, pole vault)
Tea Tree Gully Athletics Centre
At just 16, Hewett has already achieved a high level in pole vault and high jumping events nationally.
The fast-developing talent out of Tea Tree Gully Athletics Centre ranks second in U18 high jump and U18 pole vault nationwide.
She will test her mettle in the open high jump at nationals, as well as the U20 high jump, U20 pole vault, U18 high jump and U18 pole vault.
Other South Australian athletes to watch at the Australian Track and Field Championships are as follows:
Max Stevens – open 3000m steeplechase
Matthew Clarke (Tokyo Olympian) – 3000m steeplechase, 5000m run
Charlotte McAuliffe – U16 100m, 200m and 400m
Isaac Heyne – open 5000m
Caitlin Adams – open 5000m
Jamie Scroop – open pole vault
Maddie Lawson – open pole vault
Chelsea Friedrich – U18 high jump
Adam Goddard – open 1500m, U20 800m, U20 1500m, U20 3000m
Jack Williams – U15 800m and 1500m
Emilaya Ellis – open triple jump
Noah Schoepf – U16 shot put, discus, hammer throw
Lachlan Schoepf – U20 hammer throw, U18 shot put, discus, hammer throw
Tessa Ebert – U15 1500m, 3000m
Georgie Fielder – U15 200m hurdles, 80m hurdles
Taylor Larsson – U17 discus, U18 shot put
Nathan Woods (T20) – para 100m and 200m
Keira Post (T/F37) – para 100m and 200m
Hugo Taheny (T/F21) – para shot put and discus
Lillee Wakefield (F20) – open hammer throw, para shot put, discus, javelin.
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