GPS track and field championships: Key athletics to watch

GPS track and field championships 2021: Who will be some of the key athletics to watch

The annual GPS track and field championship, one of the finest events on the Queensland sport calendar, is on Tuesday.

It will feature an array of outstanding athletes, some of whom will aim to emulate the feats of Brisbane Boys College old boy Ashley Moloney who won a bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games in August.

Moloney was urged to the finishing line by his training partner, another GPS old boy - Brisbane State High School’s Cedric Dubler - in what was one of the moments of the Games.

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So who are the class of 2021 who could make an impact at the 2021 GPS track and field championships.

ANGLICAN CHURCH GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Archie Ridgeway will be front and venture in the 16s years 1500m and All Age 3000m events), while Cameron Tyne (open 800m) and Lachlan Cornelius (open 1500m) will also be middle distance athletics to watch. Also keep an eye out for Jack Love in the 15s years 100m and 200m.

Cameron Tyne of Churchie just beats Flynn Pumpa last year - who will win in 2021?

BRISBANE STATE HIGH SCHOOL

Toshi Butlin - watch for this flash down the home straight once the compact Toshi Butlin gets into full stride.

Ben Roberts is the reigning GPS first champion who is ranked third in Australia for hammer throw. The sister of former world youth Olympian, javelin thrower Alexandra, Roberts is ranked first in Queensland hammer (under 20). His other sister, Lara, is also a top notch field athlete.

Tom Stunden from Brisbane Grammar School, right, and Ben Roberts of BSHS as 15 years discus competitors. They will go head to head in open competition on Tuesday.

THE SOUTHPORT SCHOOL

Charlie Blok will captain the TSS athletics team, a lovely young bloke who is a former GPS 400m champion.

Cross country gun Brayden Mercer also another who will leave nothing on the track in running in the 1500m and 3000m. He is the son of the late Dean Mercer, the former ironman champion.

Young Max Durrington (14 years) and Archie Jasinski (16 years) will give TSS plenty of depth across the championship.

TOOWOOMBA GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Year 12 Joshua Roach is a consistent Australian 400m hurdle and 400m finalist and medallist. He has represented Queensland for the past three years in these disciplines and is currently training for the Australian Under 20 World Junior Team trials in April.

Another year 12 student, Nick Coonan is ranked in the top eight in Australia for his age in the 800m. He has represented Queensland for the past two years and is a raw talent. Coonana is currently training for the Australian Under 20 World Junior Team trials in April.

Paul Draheim as a batsman - he is also a fine hurdler.Picture: Kevin Farmer

Allround sport Paul Draheim is Queensland 400m hurdle champion and has represented Queensland at the Australian Track and Field Championships in the 110m hurdles and 400m hurdles.

He is a multi-talented sportsman as he also is an excellent Queensland cricketer. Paul is currently training for the Australian Under 20 World Junior Team trails in April.

Year 10 student Matt Taylor received his first national medal this year in the under 16 discus where he took home a silver.

He has continued to reap the rewards of his training and is now consistently throwing over the 60m mark. Taylor has a lot of talent is looking forward to the athletics season ahead where he will aim for gold at the next Australian Championships.

IPSWICH GRAMMAR SCHOOL

The IGS track and field captain, year 12 student Denzel Perkins is an elite all-rounder who aims to break into the Queensland Reds rugby system.

Will Sullivan is a discus champion.

On the athletics track he is the reigning under 18 North Queensland 100m and 200m champion.

Fresh of captaining IGS in First XV rugby, he had also qualified to represent Queensland at the 2020 Australian Track and Field Championship and in 2020 also led IGS to the GPS Track and Field Championship win.

One of Perkin’s track and field vice-captains will be Will Sulllivan who is the reigning GPS discus champion.

Sullivan is also an outstanding rugby league and union player.

The First XV flanker has signed a two year contract with the North Queensland Cowboys and played for Met West at the state championships earlier in the year.

Ashley Wong will give his all for Nudgee at the GPS Track and Field Championships.

ST JOSEPH’S NUDGEE COLLEGE

Ashley Wong is no stranger to the GPS competition, having been at the school since 2015. He has had a terrific season so far, being named the national 100m and 200m champion in April 2021 in his age group. He was also on the cusp of world junior championship selection.

Will and Ned Curran, twins, are coming off a very successful cross country season, finishing first and second in the under 14 age group this year.

They will be looking to carry their form onto the track, competing in a variety of middle distance events.

Ethan Petcos is coming off an impressive pre-season and has recently won the U20 High jump championship in April 2021.

ST JOSEPH’S GREGORY TERRACE

Griffin Kelly will be the captain of track and field, having been a member of the team since 2014.

He will enter the championships in great form, coming off runs in the Road to 32 Series where he clocked 3:50.15 for 1500m and 8:25.53 for 3000m.

Lachlan Kennedy is also in great form, running 10.51seconds in the 100m Road to 32 Series meet.

BRISBANE GRAMMAR SCHOOL

Tom Stunden is a Mayne Harriers junior and Queensland representative who excels in open shot put and discus and is a national ranked athlete.

BRISBANE BOYS COLLEGE

Jay Sahlqvist (Open) has experienced GPS victory in a variety of events from triple jump, high jump to hurdles and in his final GPS competition he will look to go out a winner in 2021.

Alexi Champion (16 years is a consistent 2m plus high jumper is a multiple GPS and state champion in this event and will look to continue his string of consecutive GPS victories in this event

Gus Gannon, Flynn Pumpa and Matt Bennett (all open) will face some of the best runners in the state and nation in the open distance events but they return as GPS Champions in these events from last year.

Gannon has seen amazing success this year across a wide variety of events on the track and cross country and is looking forward to a great race in the Open 3000m.

Kaleb Clark (Open) will look to match it with the best in the GPS this year over 100m and 200m. Both of these races will feature some of Australia’s Top Junior sprinting talent and with Clark clocking recent PB’s over both distances he will be in the mix across the finish line on Tuesday.

Dominic Thygesen (Open) placed second in Queensland and fifth in Australia earlier this year in the under 18 shot put and will lead BBC in the field events looking to secure the ultimate victory in his final GPS Track and Field Championships.

Seth Mahony (15) won his first GPS cross country title earlier this year in the 15yrs event and on the track he will contest the tough 800m/1500m double.

Among many, many talent students, also keep an watch on the likes of:

Ethan Grimshaw (NC) 13 years sprints

Israel Leota (IGS) is a talented sprinter and jumper

Lachlan Cox (NC) in 16 years sprints

James Swayo (NC) 16 years 400m

Callum Wallace (NC) Open javelin.

Rory Easton (ACGS) Open hurdles.

Kaleb Clark (BBC) sprints

Tyler Lilley (BSHS) sprints

And in terms of events, some great middle distance racing looms with Charlie Sprott (BGS) coming off an amazing cross country season when he took out the open GPS 6km title, the QLD All Schools Under 20 8km, the QLD Secondary Schools 18-19yrs 8km and the QLD under 20 8km cross country titles. He is a multiple GPS champion on the track and in cross country.